


When Reality Hits

by adreamersimagination



Category: Dawson's Creek
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, Friendship, Romance, daddypacey, domesticpaceyandjoey, joeypaceyjackjenfriendship, mommyjoey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 01:21:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 46,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29163342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adreamersimagination/pseuds/adreamersimagination
Summary: "What screws up most in life is the picture in our head of how it's supposed to be."Pacey and Joey, a love for the ages.
Relationships: Joey Potter/Pacey Witter
Comments: 67
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This is a slight au to the show. Most of what happened in high school, still happened. All you need to know for now is that Pacey and Joey never broke up at the end of senior year. I am sure you will have a lot of questions after this chapter but they all will be answered! I am very excited for this story and can't wait to hear what you all think!

“Hey Jen,” Dawson said as he walked in the direction of her house. Jen looked up from the book she was reading and regarded her old friend cautiously. “Where’s Amy?”  


“Sleeping,” Jen closed the book, placed it on the table, and watched as he sat down with her. “What are you doing here so late?”  


“I was just outside, wandering around, and found myself over here,” Dawson explained. He looked over at his childhood home and then back at the blonde next to him. “I think the holiday nostalgia has hit me hard.”  


“I thought for sure you would find your way over to Pacey and Joey’s then,” Jen teased but looked at his face for a reaction. She had seen the tension earlier between him and Joey while they were out for drinks. She and Jack tried to push the brunette for any kind of gossip but she insisted it was fine, that she was just missing Pacey.  


“They have their hands full with Pacey’s accident and Hattie,” he shrugged. His gaze drifted out towards the creek and he let out a long sigh. Jen could see the far-off look on his face and knew that something was weighing heavily on his chest.  


“Spill it,” she said. He looked at her confused and she raised an eyebrow. “I’ve been around the three of you long enough. I know when you three are going through something and it’s clear that you are right now. What the hell is going on with you three?”  


“Can I ask you something?”  


“Sure,” Jen shrugged. She knew he was avoiding the topic and decided to just go along with it.  


“Can you tell me about Hattie?” Dawson asked, almost hesitantly.  


“Hattie?” Jen furrowed her brows. “What do you want to know?”  


“What’s she like? Which one of them is she the most like?” Dawson asked. He looked down and swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn’t sure if he actually wanted to know but he felt he needed to.  


“Dawson,” Jen shot him a confused look. “You act like you’ve never met her. You act like she’s a complete stranger. You were one of the first people to meet her after she was born.”  


“I haven’t seen her since her first birthday,” Dawson admitted. That surprised Jen and she leaned back in her chair to process that. She hadn’t realized it had been that long.  


“What?” She managed to ask. “She’s two and a half, Dawson.”  


“I know,” he winced and averted his eyes from her questioning ones. He knew that if Jen knew the truth, she would surely hate him.  


“Explain.”  


“I got busy with work and every time I’ve seen them, she hasn’t been with them. I don’t always get the chance to see her when I’m home,” Dawson explained. She knew that he was lying. She knew that there was more to his reasoning and a part of her almost didn’t want to know the real reason. She knew it had to be pretty terrible for them to be this estranged again.  


“You could call,” Jen insisted. “She loves talking on the phone.”  


“Tell me about her,” Dawson pleaded. She sighed and decided that pushing him was going to get her nowhere. She forgot just how stubborn and hardheaded he could be when he wanted to.  


“She’s a huge daddy’s girl, like a huge one. She absolutely adores the ground Pacey walks on and the feeling is mutual. Hattie’s got that man wrapped around her tiny finger,” Jen chuckled. “Hattie adores Joey. Like she trails after her wherever she goes and will cuddle up with her on the couch for hours, just listening to her talk. She’s got the most gorgeous blue eyes, just like her dad. Dark hair like Joey’s but wild curls like Pacey’s. She is super shy around strangers, which is hysterical considering who her dad is. She’s incredibly smart for her age and loves the water.”  


“And Pacey and Joey? Are they happy?” Dawson asked. She could hear that it sounded strangled and like he wasn’t sure which answer he was hoping to hear.  


“Incredibly happy,” Jen nodded with a soft smile. “We keep waiting for them to hit the seven year itch but it hasn’t happened yet. It’s kinda gross how much they still love each other.”  


“It’s crazy that they’ve been together seven years,” Dawson said. “It feels like just yesterday that she hopped on that sailboat with him.”  


“Why are you so out of touch with their life?” Jen asked, her voice soft and kind. “What happened?”  


“Life happened,” Dawson shrugged. He turned to face the creek and let the words linger in the air between the two of them.  


  


  


“Heating pad or ice pack?” Joey asked. She gently sat on the edge of the couch, next to her husband, and held up the two options.  


“A new back,” Pacey groaned. He adjusted his head slightly to get a better look at her and sighed at the pain in his back.  


“Can’t do that,” Joey smiled sadly and ran her fingers through his tousled hair. “I can offer you an ice pack though.”  


“Lay it on me,” Pacey shivered when the cold hit his lower back and he moaned into the pillow. Joey ran her fingers gently up his back and traced a circle between his shoulder blades. “How was it having everyone together again?”  


“It was okay,” Joey shrugged. She traced a circle around the back of his neck with her thumb. His eyes closed at the feeling and he smiled softly. “It would’ve been better if you had been there.”  


“Once I can sit up for more than twenty minutes at a time, I’m there.” Pacey smirked and she chuckled. He swallowed, seemingly debating his next question, and then locked eyes with her. “Did Dawson show up?”  


“Yeah,” she nodded. She searched his eyes to see what he was feeling but he kept them relatively neutral. “He’s here for the holidays.”  


“Of course he is,” Pacey mumbled.  


“Hey,” Joey scooted closer to him and pressed her face into his cheek. “I love you.”  


“I love you too,” Pacey lifted one of her hands to his lips and pressed a tender kiss to the back of it.  


“He asked about Hattie,” Joey bit her lip.  


“What about her?” Pacey tensed and then winced as a pain shot through his lower back. Joey noticed the pain contort on his face and gently ran her fingers over his lower back.  


“Just how she is,” Joey said.  


“Oh,” Pacey mumbled. “I see.”  


“Jack is going to come over and spend the day with you,” Joey abruptly changed the subject.  


She was desperate to get his mind off of Dawson and anything pertaining to him. Joey really hated what it did to Pacey’s mood. It always left him irritated and closed off. She had a vowed a long time ago that she wasn’t going to let him spiral again. She was never going to let him think that he had anything to worry about when it came to her heart. Pacey was her first priority and she didn’t care what it meant for her friendship with Dawson. As far as she was concerned, Dawson had made his own bed.  


“Oh joy,” Pacey grumbled. “A babysitter. Just what I want.”  


“You can barely walk, Pace. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone and I have some things I need to do,” Joey explained. She knew this entire situation was his worst nightmare. He hated having other people take care of him and that he had to solely depend on them.  


“Bessie still concerned I’m going to sue her?” Pacey smirked. He knew his sister-in-law had been a nervous wreck when he slipped outside the B&B.  


“Of course,” Joey laughed. “Although, I’m sure she was glad it was you that slipped and not a guest.”  


“I’m glad I could take that brunt for her,” Pacey rolled his eyes in amusement.  


“Why do you think Bodie brings food over every day for you?”  


“And here I thought it was out of the goodness of his heart,” Pacey teased. Joey brushed her fingers across his cheek and smiled.  


“I need you to get better soon because I miss sleeping in the bed with you,” Joey whispered.  


“I told you that you don’t need to sleep on the couch with me,” Pacey insisted.  


“Pacey,” Joey shot him a look. “I told you that I can’t sleep without you and if you’re on the couch, then that’s where I am.”  


“My sweet and corny wife,” Pacey smirked. She tweaked his nose as she rolled her eyes in response.  


“You’re lucky you’re hurt and because of that I will give you a pass.”  


“Lucky me,” Pacey chuckled. He laced his fingers through hers and pressed another kiss to the back of her hand. “And I do mean that. I am so lucky.”  


“Me too, Pace. Me too,” Joey pressed a kiss to his cheek and then nuzzled her face against it.  


  


  


Pacey sat on the couch in the living room and listened to his friend make a sandwich in the kitchen. After Hattie had woken up from her nap, Joey got her ready and then was out the door. Jack conveniently showed up five minutes after she had walked out the door. He hated that he needed constant help to move around his own house but his back was getting stronger every day. He knew he would be back on his feet within the next day or so. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of the couch, letting his mind wander to the reappearance of his former best friend.  


It was just like Dawson to just randomly show up in their lives again. They had talked to him on and off the last year and a half but it was never the same. In Pacey’s eyes, the damage was too far beyond repair this time around. There are just somethings that you can’t come back from. He knew that his former best friend was going to try and get back on Joey’s good side. There was no way he wouldn’t. No matter what happened in his life, Joey was always at the center of his universe. He always felt like he had some sort of claim over her, and Pacey was certain that this time was no different.  


“Maybe I should get you a wheel chair,” Jack said as he walked into the room and dropped in the chair next to the couch. Pacey opened his eyes and saw his friend take a giant bite out of his sandwich.  


“Maybe I should ban you from my house,” Pacey retorted. He had moved himself into a sitting position, begrudgingly with Jack’s help, and extended his legs out onto the coffee table.  


“You’d miss me too much,” Jack waved him off.  


“You keep telling yourself that,” Pacey rolled his eyes.  


“Did Joey take Hattie with her?” Jack asked, noticing the lack of his adorable goddaughter. He assumed the Joey would but hoped she hadn’t.  


“She took her to Jen’s for a playdate with Amy,” Pacey said. “Which is her way of making me feel better that I can’t be left alone with her.”  


“You’ll be able to soon enough,” Jack insisted when he saw the miserable look on his friend’s face. He decided that it was best to just change the subject. “So, do you want the gossip from last night?”  


“Lay it on me,” Pacey nodded. It had been disappointed he couldn’t go out for drinks but at the same time, he was completely okay not being there. Especially since Dawson had shown up.  


“Jen drunk called CJ,” Jack said and the two guys winced.  


“Yikes,” Pacey winced as he took a sip of his water. He knew that conversation was probably less than pleasant.  


“She absolutely ripped him apart. Called him the worse excuse for a father and that was saying a lot considering some of our dad’s,” Jack said. “Then she absolutely destroyed his sexual skills saying that sex with a pole would be better.”  


“Ouch,” Pacey grimaced. “If I didn’t hate the guy so much, I’d actually feel sorry for him.”  


“And then Dawson looked like a fish out of water,” Jack said. He tried to gauge Pacey’s face for any kind of reaction but he kept it relatively blank. “He asked about you.”  


“Did he?” Pacey asked, his voice indifferent.  


“He wanted to know why you weren’t there and if you two were having problems,” Jack explained.  


“Of course he did,” Pacey snorted. He knew that Jack was fishing for gossip. Dawson was always a relatively sore topic in their group of friends when Pacey was around and this time was no different.  


“Pace-,” Jack went to push for information when the front door opened.  


“No running!” Joey’s voice called after her daughter. Hattie, clearly ignoring her mom, ran into the living room with Joey hot on her heels. “Do not jump on your dad.”  


“Daddy,” Hattie stopped right in front of her dad and flashed him her adorable lopsided smile. “Hi!”  


“Hi kiddo,” Pacey tweaked her nose and she giggled. Hattie crawled onto the couch next to him and snuggled into his side. His heart immediately filled with love and he wrapped his arm around her tiny body.  


“Am I invisible?” Jack pouted.  


“When Pacey is in the room, yes. Sorry Jack,” Joey teased. “It’s just something that you have to get used to.”  


“No fair,” he huffed.  


“I thought she was with Jen?” Pacey ran his fingers through Hattie’s hair as she rested her head on his lap. She stuck her thumb into her mouth and her eyes started to get heavy.  


“She was,” Joey sat onto the couch next to him and rubbed his shoulder. “But Jen had to take Grams to the grocery store and one toddler is more than enough for her.”  


“She’s falling asleep!” Jack pointed at the toddler, not caring that he was interrupting their conversation. “I didn’t even get a hug.”  


“She’s not going to sleep forever,” Joey chuckled. Pacey laughed and then saw that his wife was chewing on her lip nervously.  


“What is it, Jo?”  


“I, uh, ran into Dawson while I was at the store earlier.” Joey shifted nervously on the couch. She saw Pacey’s shoulders tense up and Jack looked between the two curiously.  


“Did you?”  


“Grams invited the Leery’s to Thanksgiving at her house,” she explained. “When she invited Gail, they weren’t sure that Dawson would even be in town. I mean, he skipped last year and Christmas so she figured that he would. She had no idea that he was planning on coming home this year.”  


“Jo,” Pacey cut off her rambling and shot her an amused look. It was nice that somethings never changed and that she still rambled when she was nervous. It reminded him of the bright eyed seventeen year old that he had fallen head over heels in love with.  


“Yeah?” She locked eyes with him.  


“You’re rambling,” he chuckled.  


“Sorry,” she winced.  


“I kind of figured he’d be there when you told me he was back in town,” Pacey shrugged. He looked down at his now sleeping daughter and took a deep breath. It seemed like he was going to have to face his past a lot sooner than he wanted to.  


  


  


Joey pulled into the driveway at Grams’ house and put the car in park. She could hear Hattie chattering away in the back of the car, obviously keeping herself entertained. Her eyes shifted over to her husband and she saw him looking at the window, over at the Leery house. He seemed to be in a trance and intently focused on the house that the two of them had spent the majority of their childhood in. Joey had come to realize as she got older that it was more of a safe place for Pacey than it was for her. While her home life wasn’t ideal, she had Bessie and Bodie. Pacey felt like a total outsider in his home growing up and the Leery’s always made him feel welcome.  


She wished there was something she could say to him. She wished there were magic words to make the rift between him and Dawson go away. She hated that they had finally found themselves in a good place again, just for everything to fall apart. One night had destroyed all the progress the two had made and sometimes sorry just wasn’t enough. Joey reached over and laced her fingers through his own. Pacey turned to face her and smiled softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.  


“I love you,” she whispered.  


“I love you too,” he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her lips.  


“Yuck!” Hattie interrupted their moment and then broke out into a fit of giggles. The two laughed and turned to face their daughter. Her blue eyes twinkled with amusement and she had the most adorable smile on her face.  


“Yuck, huh?” Pacey reached out and tickled her stomach. She shrieked and laughed loudly.  


“Daddy, no!” Hattie shook her head and her curls bounced all over the place.  


“How about we go see Grams?” Joey suggested and knew her daughter was going to be instantly excited about that.  


“Gams!” Hattie cheered and clapped her little hands. She started to tug on the straps of her car seat, clearly desperate to get out of the car. She looked at her dad, her blue eyes pleading with him to release her, and he laughed.  


“The princess has spoken,” Pacey teased.  


“It’s very clear who runs our house,” Joey laughed. She stepped out of the car and he did the same. Joey opened the back door and started to unbuckle their daughter from her car seat. Pacey grabbed her backpack from the backseat and swung it over his shoulder. He grabbed the dessert that he had made and then closed car door once he was done. Once Hattie was free, Joey placed her feet on the ground and she ran for the door.  


“I find it hysterical that a woman who used to terrify you is our daughter’s favorite person ever,” Pacey laughed. Joey grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together.  


“I wouldn’t let Jack hear you say that,” she swung their joined hands over her shoulder and leaned into his side. “I think he’s convinced that he’s still her favorite.”  


“I knew giving him the title of godfather would go to his head one day,” he shook his head.  


“At least he has Doug to keep him in line,” she said.  


“And if that doesn’t work, Jen is always there.”  


“Jen keeps all of us in line,” Joey laughed. He laughed and nodded his head in agreement.  


“Gam!” The two heard Hattie’s loud exclamation as they made their way up the front porch.  


“That girl still has not grasped the concept of inside voice,” Joey rolled her eyes and shook her head.  


“She gets it from her momma,” he smirked and she rolled her eyes.  


“Watch it, Witter.”  


“Oh come on, Jo. You love me,” he pressed a kiss to her temple.  


“And you still bug me,” she stuck her tongue out at him. Pacey pressed his lips to hers and tugged her closer to him. They heard someone clear their throat from behind them and turned around, all three of them freezing in their spots.  


“Hey,” Dawson awkwardly shuffled from foot to foot. Joey grabbed onto Pacey’s arm and he tensed up.  


“Dawson,” Pacey mumbled.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the incredible feedback and everyone who took the time to read this story! I have lots planned for this story. All of your questions will be answered within the next few chapters. I can't put it all out there at once, can I?! Let me know what you all think!

The three stood, frozen in their spots, and just stared. Dawson looked between the married couple, and noticed the way Joey clung to Pacey. He wasn’t sure if it was because she wanted the comfort from him or because she was holding him in place to stop him from doing something he may regret later. He wasn’t actually sure he wanted to know which option it was. He looked from Joey to Pacey, who seemed to be looking right through him. His normally bright blue eyes were clouded over, as if he was reliving a moment in time. A moment that filled him with anger and hostility. Dawson scratched the back of his neck and wasn’t sure if he should be the one to break the silence.  


Pacey felt Joey’s fingers digging into his bicep but was too focused on his former best friend to try and pry the painful fingers away. Dawson looked exactly the same. He still had that same dreamy look in his eyes and his gaze was focused on Joey. He rolled his neck and stiffened his back, feeling an immediate ache in it. He knew he needed to sit and rest but he couldn’t pry his eyes away from the blonde in front of him. The two seemed to be in an intense stare down and Joey stood by, awkwardly watching the two of them.  


“Gam, water!” Hattie’s cheery and sweet voice broke the three of them out of their trance.  


“You can’t go in the water, silly girl!” Jen’s voice added. “Hattie! Don’t go outside, it’s too cold!”  


“Water!” Hattie exclaimed. She went running out the front door and stopped when she saw her mom and dad, completely oblivious to the tension surrounding the adults. “Hi mommy! Hi daddy!”  


“Hi sweet girl,” Joey scooped her daughter up into her arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek.  


“Water?” Hattie pointed towards the creek and looked at her mom with wide eyes.  


“It’s too cold, baby.” Joey shook her head and saw the immediate pout fill her face.  


“Daddy?” Hattie turned to her dad. She widened her eyes at him and stuck out her bottom lip. Pacey shuffled on his feet, finding it incredibly difficult to say no to her but then saw the warning look that Joey shot him and felt the cold air hit his face.  


“Sorry kiddo,” Pacey ran a hand over her curls. “Your mom’s right. It’s too cold out.”  


“Otay,” her face fell and she buried her face in Joey’s neck. Pacey and Joey shared an amused look and she ran a gentle hand over her back.  


“How about we go see if Grams needs help?” Pacey suggested. He saw Hattie’s eyes immediately light up and she wiggled in Joey’s arms, desperate to be put down.  


“Gams!” Hattie took off running the minute hit her feet. Pacey smirked and followed after their daughter. Joey was left alone with Dawson and the two stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say next.  


“How are you?” Dawson finally asked. He hated the fact that his childhood best friend was a complete stranger to him. He hated the fact that he couldn’t even hold a simple conversation with her.  


“I’m doing well,” she nodded. “How are you?”  


“I’m okay,” he shrugged. “I’m going to be in town for a while. I’m filming a short film and wanted the setting to be Capeside.”  


“Oh,” she widened her eyes slightly and then swallowed hard. She twisted her wedding ring around her finger and noticed his eyes land on the silver band and diamond engagement ring. She noticed how uncomfortable he was and the painful look in his eyes. “What’s it about?”  


“My teenager years in Capeside,” he said. She felt her stomach twist and knew that Pacey was going to have a lot of problems with that. “I promise it will be classy.”  


“It’s your movie,” she shrugged. “I don’t have a say in in what you do or what you portray from your life.”  


“Joey-,” he started but she held up her hand. She knew exactly where he was going with this and wanted to stop him before he could say anything more.  


“Not here, Dawson. Not today.”  


“But when?” Dawson sounded desperate.  


“I don’t know,” Joey shook her head.  


“But can we talk?” Dawson pleaded.  


She let her eyes gaze off towards the creek, the creek that she had paddled across in her boat so many times. Then they drifted towards his house and the ladder that he refused to take down. A house that held so many memories and movie nights. Then she looked at the blonde that had once been her entire life. The boy from across the creek that gave her a sanctuary when her world was falling apart. Joey took a deep breath and shrugged one of her shoulders.  


“Maybe,” she said. Joey offered him one final half smile and then walked into the house. Dawson took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face. He walked up the stairs and into the house, his nose being instantly filled with the delicious smells of Grams’ cooking.  


“Dawson hi!” Jen walked over and hugged her friend. “Welcome to the craziness of Thanksgiving at Grams.”  


“It’s good to be here Jen,” Dawson hugged the blonde tight and felt a rush of affection for her. “Where is your little one?”  


“Running around and not listening to a word I say,” Jen playfully rolled her eyes. He could see the immediate look of love and adoration in her eyes, despite the teasing eye roll. He could see just how much she loved her daughter. “I understand now why Grams used to pray for me.”  


“So she’s a mini you?” Dawson smirked.  


“Pray for me,” Jen groaned as the two walked into the living room. Amy was playing with dolls in the corner with Hattie and the two were giggling. “Those two are going to be the best of friends.”  


“How do you do it, Jen?” Dawson suddenly asked. He saw her gaze at him and confusion cloud over in her eyes.  


“Do what?”  


“Raise her by yourself,” Dawson asked. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked down at her.  


“I’m not doing it by myself,” Jen shrugged. “I have Grams. Pacey and Jack have stepped in as father figures for her. Plus, being pregnant around the same time as Joey helped a lot. The two of us went through a lot of this together. It brought the two of us closer than ever.”  


“An unconventional family,” Dawson mumbled. Jen saw the frown on his face and was about to say something when little arms wrapped around her legs.  


“Mommy!” Amy hugged her legs tight.  


“Hi baby,” Jen lifted her up into her arms and kissed her cheek. She turned the two year old to face Dawson and smiled. “Can you say hi to Dawson?”  


“Hi!” Amy smiled wide and waved her little hand at him.  


“Hi,” Dawson smiled. He took in her bright blue eyes and blonde curls and smiled. She really did look just like Jen. “She really is your mini-me.”  


“Thank god for that,” Jen chuckled and then pressed another kiss to Amy’s cheek. The two year old giggled and hugged her mom tighter. “Where’s Hattie?”  


“Jo,” Amy pointed in the direction of Hattie and her mom.  


Dawson followed her little finger and seemed to freeze in his spot. Joey was crouched down in front of her daughter and it felt like all the air was sucked from his lungs. Hattie really was the perfect mix of the two but she definitely favored Pacey more. Her dark curls were held back by a clip and rested around her shoulders. She had Pacey’s fair complexion and little chubby legs. She was tiny, which was surprising considering how tall her parents were. You could see just how much she adored Joey. Her chubby little hands held Joey’s cheeks and she pressed her nose against her mom’s, smiling wide.  


“I wouldn’t let Pacey catch you staring at the two of them like that,” Jen startled him from trance.  


“I wasn’t staring,” Dawson swallowed hard and looked away. “God, they really do have a daughter.”  


“Dawson,” Jen shot him a baffled look. She hated the way he was looking at Joey and Hattie. She hated the miserable look on his face. “This isn’t the first time you’ve seen her.”  


“It feels like it,” he whispered. She was saved from answering when Grams voice startled all of them.  


_“Pacey Witter!”_ Grams voice bellowed. _“Sit down right now.”_  


_“Grams,”_ Pacey whined. Everyone in the living room chuckled, and Joey rolled her eyes and shook her head.  


“Daddy silly,” Hattie giggled.  


“Daddy is very silly,” Joey agreed before she tweaked her daughter’s nose.  


“We are here! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!” Jack announced as he and Doug walked into the living room. “And we have a surprise guest!”  


“Andie!” Jen shrieked when she saw the blonde.  


“Hi!” Andie’s cheery voice filled the house. “Oh babies!”  


“I’m not a baby,” Hattie crossed her arms and scowled. Joey shook her head in amusement at her daughter and ran her fingers through her curls.  


“Yikes,” Jack winced. “It’s the famous Potter scowl.”  


“No kidding,” Jen chuckled.  


“No scowling,” Jack lifted Hattie upside down and tickled her stomach. Hattie let out a loud giggle and swung towards her godfather.  


“Jack!” Joey gasped. “Put her down! Don’t hold her like that.”  


“She’s fine,” Jack insisted but swung her around and rested her on his hip. “Mommy is so protective.”  


“Mommy silly,” Hattie snuggled into his arms.  


“I wish she loved the rest of us the way she loves Jack,” Jen groaned.  


_“Pacey Witter!”_ Grams exclaimed.  


_“I was just trying to help!”_ Pacey insisted.  


“I am going to save Pacey from being banned from this house,” Joey rolled her eyes and walked in the direction of the kitchen.  


“Ah younger brother,” Doug chuckled and everyone murmured in agreement.  


  


  


Joey walked towards the kitchen and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms and smiling. Pacey was standing in front of the stove and mixing something. She watched as he used one of his free hands to gently massage his lower back and she smiled sadly. She knew his back was still bothering him but was pushing through. Joey saw him grab some spices and then turn his attention back to what he was making. He was such a natural in the kitchen. She wasn’t even sure he followed recipes, yet somehow the food always turned out delicious.  


She remembered their first year in Boston together. Joey was living in her dorms and he was living at Grams with Jen and Jack. After her pregnancy scare, she forced Pacey into a deep conversation. She forced him to be honest with her and he forced her to admit that she wasn’t putting their relationship first. The two worked through months of insecurities, lies, and pain, finally finding themselves again. They stayed up and talked for hours, for days. When Pacey was offered the opportunity to sail for the summer, Joey forced him to go. She knew he needed to get out of Capeside and get back to doing what he loved. He was hesitant but she promised him she would be there, waiting for him to get back.  


And she had been waiting. The minute he was on solid land, Joey was standing at the dock with the biggest smile on her face. He scooped her up into his arms and spun her around, smothering her face with kisses. Joey felt like she was finally complete again and Pacey promised he was never going to leave her again. He had kept that promise. It wasn’t always easy, but they had made it work. Their relationship stood the test of time and she would forever be thankful that they had made it work. She had gotten both of her dreams in Boston. Her Ivy League education and life with her best friend.  


“Seeing you in an apron does all kinds of things to me,” Joey teased. Pacey spun around and smirked in her direction.  


“I always knew you had some weird kinks, Potter.” Pacey teased.  


“First off, it’s Witter. Second off, I am just appreciating a sexy man who likes to cook,” she walked over towards him and ran her hand up his back. She looked over in the pot and her stomach growled from the delicious smells. “What are you making?”  


“Grams is actually letting me make the mashed potatoes,” he said.  


“Wow,” she playfully widened her eyes. “She must really trust you.”  


“Or I just annoyed her enough to the point that she had no choice.”  


“That sounds more like it,” she teased. Pacey turned the heat down on the stove and then rested his back against the counter, pulling her into his arms.  


“Do you know what I’m most thankful for?” Pacey ran his fingers up and down her back.  


“What’s that?” Joey fiddled with one of the buttons on his shirt and locked eyes with him.  


“My incredibly beautiful wife,” he pressed a kiss to her nose. She blushed and brushed her fingers across his stubbly jaw. “The woman who makes me a better man every single day of my life. The beautiful woman who is my best friend in the whole world. The best mother I know.”  


“Pace,” she bit her lip.  


“And for that crazy, curly haired, sassy, adorable, blue eyed beauty that I get to call my daughter.”  


“She is pretty sassy, isn’t she?” Joey laughed.  


“All the adjectives I used to describe her and you use sassy?” Pacey raised an eyebrow.  


“I’d like to think that’s the dominant trait she got from me,” she shrugged.  


“Aside from her beauty and brains,” he said. “Sure, she got the sass from you too.”  


“As much as I’d love to claim credit for her traits,” Joey ran her hands up his chest and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. “That little girl definitely favorites you more.”  


“She’s the perfect combination of the two of us,” he compromised. “Speaking of our sassy girl, where is she?”  


“Outside with everyone else,” she said. “They are getting ready to play football.”  


“Who in the world came up with that idea?” Pacey laughed.  


“Jack,” she rolled her eyes and shook her head.  


“As much as I’d love to tackle you,” he leaned closer and nibbled on her earlobe. She tilted her head to the side and let herself get lost in the sensations it caused. Warmth immediately filled her body and she clung to his biceps. “I’m glad to sit this one out.”  


“But you’ll watch, right?”  


“Watch you run around and attempt to play sports?” Pacey raised an eyebrow. “This is definitely going to be the highlight of my day.”  


“Watch it, Witter.” Joey swatted his chest and he laughed, pulling her into his arms for a hug.  


“Quit making out and let’s play football!” Jack interrupted their moment as he passed by the kitchen.  


“Well you heard the man,” Pacey smirked. He pressed a kiss to her lips and then another one and then another before smiling at her. She kissed his cheek and then turned to leave. He slapped her on the butt and she gasped, turning to face him. “Go get ‘em, champ.”  


“You’re lucky I love you,” she rolled her eyes and laughed before walking out of the kitchen. Pacey twirled his wedding band around his finger and smiled after her.  


“I sure am.”  


  


  


“Oh,” Dawson froze on the porch when he saw Pacey was sitting outside alone. Pacey turned at his voice and sat up a little straighter. He had successfully avoided him most of the day but knew he couldn’t forever. “Hey.”  


“Hey,” Pacey greeted him. He saw Dawson lingering in the doorway and sighed. He figured that, like always, he was going to have to be the adult in this situation. “You can sit. I’m not going to attack you.”  


“I didn’t know if you wanted to be alone,” Dawson hesitantly sat on the chair next to Pacey’s. They watched everyone else get set to play football in the backyard and the two toddlers ran around in circles a few feet away from the porch.  


“It’s all good,” Pacey shrugged. As much as he wanted to not talk to him, he didn’t want to cause a scene. Everyone was in good spirits and it was Thanksgiving. The least he could do was be civil.  


“What happened with your back?” Dawson asked, going for the safest topic.  


“Slipped at the B&B last week,” Pacey said before taking a sip of his beer. “I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t see a patch of ice. Slammed my back right onto the concrete.”  


“Ouch,” Dawson winced.  


“Glad it was me and not a paying guest,” Pacey shrugged. “Hurts like a bitch but it’s getting better. I can actually walk and stand up for more than thirty seconds now.”  


“And the Ice House?” Dawson asked. He remembered when he opened up Joey’s family restaurant a little over a year ago. He wanted to say that he was surprised but he really wasn’t. Pacey’s love for Joey was always his motivator and inspired him to do great things. It only made sense that he reopened the restaurant that burned down years ago.  


“Good,” Pacey nodded. “Jen’s been running it for me while I’m recovering.”  


“That’s nice of her,” Dawson nodded. Hearing how Jen was helping out with the restaurant was just another reminder of how isolated from his old group of friends he really was.  


“How about you?” Pacey asked, looking over at him for the first time. “How’s life as a Hollywood director?”  


“I’m actually going to be here for a while,” Dawson said and then continued when he saw his former best friend raise a questioning eyebrow. “I’m filming a small film here.”  


“Cool,” Pacey nodded. He swallowed the nagging feeling in his stomach that told him this was a terrible idea. “What’s the movie about?”  


“My teenage years,” Dawson admitted. “From the moment we met Jen to when we all left for college.”  


“I see.”  


“Is that okay with you?”  


“You don’t need my permission to make a movie,” Pacey took another sip of his beer. He hated everything about his movie idea. It was going to be another film about Dawson’s obsession with Joey, and how she was the one who got away.  


“Well you’d be in it,” Dawson said.  


“I figured as much,” Pacey said and then his eyes drifted out towards where his wife was. She was attempting to tackle Jack, and failing, and he smirked. She was still as determined as always and Jack wasn’t going to let her win without a fight.  


“Pacey, I-,” Dawson started but Pacey cut him off almost instantly.  


“I don’t want an apology. I don’t need any more apologizes.”  


“But-,” Dawson frowned at the coldness in his voice.  


“I just want one honest answer from you,” Pacey turned to face him.  


“Okay,” Dawson nodded. He knew that whatever Pacey was about to ask was going to be terrible and not something he wanted to answer, but he figured he owed him an honest answer.  


“Are you still in love with her?” Pacey asked. He saw Dawson’s eyes flash towards Joey, who was watching the two, and he got his answer from the look in the blonde’s eyes. He scoffed and shook his head in disgust. “It’s why you stayed away, isn’t it? Not because you felt guilty about what happened but because you couldn’t handle seeing us together. You especially couldn’t handle seeing us together with Hattie.”  


“I-,” Dawson stuttered. He knew that he couldn’t fool Pacey and sighed. “I’m trying, Pacey. I swear I’m not here to cause trouble. You of all people know how hard it is to get over Joey.”  


“I also know what it’s like to fight for her and never give up,” Pacey said. He slowly pushed himself off the chair and winced at the tightness in his back. “I’m not the same insecure eighteen year old, Dawson. I’m not insecure over my place in Joey’s heart anymore. I know that I’m the one she loves and I’m not threatened by you or your history with her anymore.”  


“Pacey-,” Dawson started but they were interrupted by Hattie’s little footsteps.  


“Daddy potty,” Hattie grabbed onto Pacey’s much larger hand and tugged on it.  


“Alright curly girl,” Pacey scooped her up into his arms. He winced and grabbed the railing to steady himself. He saw Joey frown at him in the distance and waved her off. He looked down at Dawson, who was staring at Hattie in wonder. “See you, Dawson.”  


“See you,” Dawson mumbled as father and daughter walked off. Joey stormed up the stairs and sighed.  


“He is trying to piss me off,” Joey grumbled to herself.  


“It’s my fault,” Dawson sighed. Joey turned to face him, completely forgetting he was there, and raised an eyebrow.  


“How is Pacey picking up Hattie your fault?”  


“I think I said some things that upset him and he wanted the comfort of his daughter,” he admitted.  


“What did you say to him?” She crossed her arms.  


“Nothing that hasn’t been said a million times already,” Dawson stood up and left her alone with her thoughts. She frowned at his retreating form and then walked into the house, in search of her husband and daughter. She heard their voices in the bathroom and listened quietly, peeking her head in to watch as Hattie washed her hands.  


“Daddy hurt?” Hattie asked. She lifted up her wet hands to signal that she was done, and Pacey grabbed a towel off the rack to dry them off.  


“Daddy’s okay,” Pacey promised with a soft smile. “Daddy is never too hurt to pick you up.”  


“Daddy sad?” Hattie asked, resting her little hand on his cheek. He kissed her tiny palm, which caused a wide smile to fill her face. Joey rested a hand on her chest, her heart pounding with love for the two of them. There was no better sight in the world.  


“How could I ever be sad with you as my daughter?” Pacey asked. Joey felt tears prick her eyes at the sincerity in his voice. The love and admiration for his daughter was so incredibly obvious.  


“I love you daddy,” Hattie said. Pacey felt that familiar swirl of love in his chest and was sure hearing those words from her would never get old.  


“I love you more,” Pacey tweaked her nose and Hattie giggled. “I’ll always be here for you, you hear me? I promise that I will always be the best dad I can be and that you will never have to wonder if I love you.”  


“Never,” Hattie threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him close. She giggled and pulled back to look at him. “You tickle.”  


“What?” Pacey ran a hand over the stubble sprinkled across his jaw. “You don’t like my stubble either?”  


“No,” Hattie shook her head. She ran her chubby fingers over his stubbly jaw. “It tickles.”  


“Tickles, huh?” Pacey lifted his hands and Hattie’s blue eyes got wide. He tickled her sides and she shrieked and let out a loud giggle. He scooped her up into his arms and tickled her sides and belly, while she laughed loudly. Joey smiled wide as she watched the two of them.  


“Daddy, stop!” Hattie shrieked and her curls bounced as she squirmed in his lap.  


“More?” Pacey raised an eyebrow and tickled her even more.  


“No!” Hattie giggled and threw herself into his arms as he stopped tickling her. She nuzzled her face into his shoulder and wrapped her little arms around his shoulders. Pacey held her tight and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Love you daddy.”  


“I love you sweetheart,” Pacey ran a hand over the back of her head. Hattie’s eyes found Joey and they widened in excitement.  


“Hi mommy!” Hattie sat up straight and Pacey turned around, smiling wide at his wife.  


“Spying on us, Jo?” Pacey teased.  


“It was too adorable to not spy,” Joey walked over and ran her fingers through Pacey’s hair. “I was coming to yell at you for picking her up but then you two were too adorable to stay mad.”  


“We are pretty adorable, aren’t we Hattie?” Pacey poked her nose and she giggled.  


“Yeah!” Pacey and Joey both laughed. The two of them smothered her face with kisses and the toddler laughed loudly.  


  


  


“Hey Witter,” Jen walked into the living room and smiled at her friend. Pacey looked up and smiled when she dropped down onto the couch with him.  


“Hey Lindley.”  


“What are you doing in here by yourself?” Jen asked. “Everyone is outside getting the fire ready.”  


“Our good old Thanksgiving night tradition,” he smirked.  


“Some things never change,” she teased. She noticed the far off look on his face and nudged his shoulder. “What’s on your mind, Pace?”  


“Dawson’s going to be here for a while. He’s apparently making a movie about our teenage years,” he explained and let out a tired sigh.  


“Yikes,” Jen winced. “There are definitely some things that should never be relived and my relationship with Henry is one of them.”  


“Don’t want to see him declaring his love from the rafters in front of everyone again?” Pacey teased and nudged her shoulder.  


“Oh god,” Jen shuttered. “He really did do that. I try to forget about that.”  


“It was quite romantic.”  


“If I remember correctly Witter,” she shot him a look. “You spent the entire night pouting because Joey was on a date with some college guy.”  


“Thanks for that reminder,” he glared at her. College guy. That was someone he hadn’t thought about in a really long time.  


“I certainly hope he includes our sex pact,” she smirked and giggled. He shook his head and laughed.  


“And then Joey ripping us a new one in the coat closet.”  


“You two were so oblivious,” she shook her head in amusement. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people try so hard to deny their feelings for each other.”  


“We really were,” he agreed.  


“So,” Jen bit her lip. She decided to try and find out what happened between the two of them. “He’s going to be around for a while. What’s wrong with that?”  


“He told me he’s still in love with Jo,” Pacey sighed.  


“Oh,” Jen frowned. “That’s a problem.”  


“He said he’s trying to get over it but I should know better than anyone how difficult that is,” he rolled his eyes. Those words were clear as day in his mind and he hated that he said them. But then again, it was Dawson. Should he have expected anything else?  


“Ew, he said that?”  


“He sure did,” Pacey nodded.  


“What did Joey say?” Jen asked.  


“I haven’t gotten the chance to tell her yet,” he said. “I certainly didn’t want to tell her in front of everyone else.”  


“You’re going to tell her, right?”  


“Of course,” he nodded. “Jo and I don’t keep secrets anymore. It’s the only way our marriage is going to last.”  


“Just remember one thing, Pace.” Jen squeezed his arm and looked at him kindly. Pacey raised an eyebrow in question. “She chose you. It’s always been you.”  


“You are certainly a special one, Lindley.”  


“And don’t you forget it, Witter.” Jen poked his cheek and he laughed. “Now, let’s go join the party. I know you’re the antisocial type but move it, Pace.”  


“So bossy,” he playfully rolled his eyes but stood up with her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Jen smiled up at him and bumped his hip with her own.  


As Pacey made his way outside with Jen, the two made their way over towards the fire. Jack and Doug were sitting close together, talking quietly. Andie and Dawson were engaged in conversation of their own. Joey was watching Hattie and Amy run around in circles, hopefully tiring themselves out for bed. Jen broke away from Pacey and dropped down next to Jack, joining their conversation. Pacey sat down next to Joey, and she immediately scooted closer to him. Her eyes glistened with love as she looked into his beautiful blue eyes.  


“You okay?” Joey asked, her voice soft and comforting.  


“Of course,” he nodded and pressed a kiss to her temple.  


“Daddy!” Hattie rushed over towards the fire and crawled into her dad’s lap. Amy followed her best friend and jumped on Jen’s lap. Hattie snuggled into Pacey’s arms and rested her head on his chest. “Daddy, sleepy.”  


“You tired?” Pacey brushed a few curls off her face and smiled softly.  


“Tired,” she mumbled. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and she stuck the thumb on her other hand into her mouth.  


“She looks worn out,” Joey ran a gentle finger across her daughter’s cheek.  


“I think she’ll sleep well tonight,” he agreed. Hattie mumbled something incoherent and then her eyes closed. He looked across the fire at Jen, and saw that Amy was falling asleep as well.  


“Those are some sleepy babies,” Jack said.  


“Which means I may actually get some sleep tonight,” Jen said. Joey chuckled and nodded at her friend in agreement.  


“Don’t two year old's sleep through the night?” Dawson asked.  


“Not when they want to sleep in your bed and their feet end up in your face,” Jen shook her head.  


“Hey! You used to do that to me!” Jack flicked a piece of hair off her shoulder and she glared at him.  


“I most certainly did not.”  


“Whatever you say,” he pinched her cheek and she swatted his hand away.  


“But they are so cute!” Andie looked at a sleeping Amy, and then over at a sleeping Hattie.  


“They sure are,” Doug agreed. Joey, Pacey, and Jen all smiled. Compliments about their babies were their favorite kinds of compliments.  


“I just want to snuggle one!” Jack groaned as he looked at the two sleeping babies.  


“Maybe next time, Jackers.” Pacey laughed.  


Everyone laughed at the pout on Jack’s face and then fell back into conversation. Pacey snuggled Hattie closer to him while she slept away. Joey snuggled into his side and laughed at something Jack said. It felt like old times, but Dawson knew better. He knew that no matter how much he wanted it to, they could never go back. He knew that Pacey and Joey were always going to feel like strangers to him now and their daughter would never call him Uncle Dawson, like she called Jack Uncle Jack. He felt discouraged that Pacey wouldn’t even listen to his apology.  


Looking across the fire, he looked at the little family. Joey had her head resting on Pacey’s shoulder. He was holding their daughter close to his chest, like he was protecting her from the world. He whispered something to Joey and she blushed before smiling wide. He chuckled before pressing a kiss to her forehead and then the tip of her nose. There was no denying the love and chemistry between the two of them. As much as he always tried to fight it, there was no denying that they were meant to be. He took a sip of his beer and looked off into the distance. Being home was going to be a lot more difficult than he thought.  



	3. Chapter 3

Pacey sat behind his desk in his office and typed something on his computer. There was a stack of paperwork on his desk that needed to be worked on and emails he needed to answer. He was finally back to work after having to take two weeks off to let his back heal up. Jen had done an incredible job in his absence to keep things running but there were certain things only he could do. He was already getting a headache thinking about having to stare at the paperwork sitting in front of him for the next few hours. As much as he would love to pass the paperwork off to someone else, he knew that wasn’t possible. He was the boss now and all the responsibilities were his own. He was done handing off his responsibilities. He was no longer that sixteen year old who just barely skated by.   


His eyes shifted over to the framed pictures sitting on his desk and Pacey smiled. The first one that caught his eye, as always, was the picture of Hattie. She had just turned two in the picture. She was wearing a pair of Joey’s heels, her curls were all over the place and, she was wearing her favorite sailboat bathing suit, and Pacey’s sunglasses. She had one hand on her hip and she popped it out like she was a model. She had the biggest smile on her face and the picture was the perfect representation of her personality. Her charm, her humor, and her adorableness were front and center.   


He then looked over at the next picture and smiled fondly. It was a picture of Pacey, Joey, Jack and Jen in their Boston apartment. The summer before Joey’s junior year at Worthington, the two decided they were ready to take the next step together and move into their own place. They realistically knew that they wouldn’t be able to afford their own place so they knew they needed roommates. It took all of ten minutes for Jen and Jack to pounce on the opportunity, and the four of them started this new adventure together. They found an apartment right across from Hell’s Kitchen, where Joey worked, and the four never regretted their decision for a second. It was an apartment that was full of laughter, love, and incredible memories. It was the place that solidified their bond and made the four of them closer than ever.   


Pacey finally looked at the last picture on his desk. It was him and Joey on their wedding day. She was dressed in a simple but beautiful white sundress with silver heels. He had on khakis and a white button down. They had decided the summer between Joey’s junior and senior year at Worthington that they wanted to tie the knot. It was a completely out of the blue decision, but one they had never second guessed. They had been curled up in bed, reading a book, when Pacey blurted out that he wanted to marry her. Joey was surprised for a second but quickly recovered and said she wanted to marry him too. In the picture, Joey was looking up at Pacey and he was gazing down at her. The love in their eyes was clear to anyone looking and her new silver wedding band sparkled in the light. He smirked when he remembered telling Jen and Jack the morning of their wedding that they needed them to be witnesses.   


_“Well you two look rather cheery,” Jen raised an eyebrow as she walked into the kitchen that morning. Joey and Pacey were standing in the kitchen, drinking coffee, and obviously deep in a pleasant conversation._  


_“Hey!” Joey smiled wide when she noticed the blonde, which only raised more suspicion in Jen._  


_“Why are you so happy?” Jen narrowed her eyes and accepted the mug of coffee that Pacey handed her._  


_“What’s wrong with being happy?” Joey retorted._  


_“It’s eight in the morning, during summer vacation, and you don’t work today. You should be sound asleep or grumpy at being awake this early.”_  


_“Well you are the opposite of happy this morning,” Pacey smirked and took a sip of his coffee. Before she could respond, Jack walked into the kitchen._  


_“What’s with the noise?” He grumbled. “Some of us don’t need to be awake this early. Or want to be for that matter.”_  


_“Well, we are glad the two of you are awake.” Joey clapped her hands. Pacey smirked at her enthusiasm._  


_“Why are you so cheery?” Jack narrowed his eyes at her._  


_“Thank you,” Jen threw her hands up in the air._  


_“Now that we’ve established I’m usually a grumpy ass in the morning,” Joey shot them both an annoyed look. Everyone in the kitchen laughed and then let the brunette keep talking. “I know the both of you are off work today and so are the two of us.”_  


_“Is this some roommate bonding thing? Because we could’ve done this later in the day. You know, when we were more awake,” Jen interrupted but quickly closed her mouth when Joey glared at her._  


_“We need the two of you to be witnesses,” Pacey said. He knew the lead up was not working so decided to just throw it out there._  


_“Pace!” Joey swatted his arm and he shrugged in amusement._  


_“Witnesses for what?” Jack asked and then widened his eyes. “Oh god. Did you two murder someone and you need us to cover for you? I cannot go to jail! I will never survive!”_  


_“Jack!” Joey gasped. “No! We need you to be witnesses for our wedding.”_  


_“What?” Jack spit his coffee all over the counter and started to cough. Pacey slapped him on the back and watched him calm down. “The two of you are getting married? Are you pregnant?”_  


_“No!” Joey threw a spoon at him. “Can’t we just get married because we love each other?”_  


_“So, wait!” Jen looked at Pacey and then at Joey. “You two are getting married?”_  


_“Yes,” Pacey nodded._  


_“And you want us to be your witnesses?”_  


_“Also yes,” Joey nodded._  


_“And you are doing this today?”_  


_“I see the caffeine is finally kicking in, Lindley.” Pacey smirked and then shared an amused look with Joey. Jen glared at him and he winced._  


_“Well what are we waiting for?” Jen clapped her hands, grabbed Joey’s hand, and rushed out of the kitchen. “Move it, people! We have a wedding to get ready for!”_  


_“And now we have two cheery roommates,” Jack grumbled. It was clear that his coffee had not kicked in yet._  


Pacey smirked to himself as he remembered that day. Jen completely took over the plans and they wouldn’t have had it any other way. He was even more grateful when she and Jack disappeared for the night and didn’t come back until later the next day, giving the newlyweds complete privacy. It had been a simple ceremony at the courthouse but to them, it was perfect. It was the two of them and their two best friends, and nothing else mattered in that moment. It was all they needed and all they wanted. He felt bad that he hadn’t gotten her an engagement ring before their wedding so for her graduation, he had presented her with the engagement ring that she still wears to this day. He slipped it right on top of her wedding band and the smile on her face was still with him to this day.   


“Mr. Witter?” Elizabeth, his hostess, peeked her head into his office after a quick knock on the door.   


“What’s up?” Pacey asked, looking away from the picture of his wife.   


“There’s someone here to see you,” she said.   


“Who?”   


“Your wife,” Elizabeth smiled. She loved her boss’ marriage. She thought her boss and his wife were the cutest couple in the world and wanted a marriage like theirs one day.   


“You can send her back,” he said. Pacey felt warmth immediately fill his body and smiled at the thought of his wife visiting. A minute later, Joey peeked her head inside his office and smiled.   


“Hey sweetheart,” Joey walked over towards his desk. She leaned across his desk, pressed a kiss to his lips, and then dropped down in the chair in front of him. She held up the bag she was holding and smiled. “I brought you lunch.”   


“You do realize I work at a restaurant, right?” Pacey raised an amused eyebrow.   


“Yes,” she shot him a look. “But I thought you might want something other than bar food.”   


“Well that was nice of you,” he said and then narrowed his eyes. “Why did you bring me lunch?”   


“When did you get so suspicious?”   


“When you started randomly popping by with lunch,” he retorted.   


“I mean,” she moved to stand up. “I can just leave with my lunch and go somewhere I’m appreciated.”   


“Sit down, woman.” Pacey grabbed the bag from her. “Did you at least bring yourself food, too?”   


“Duh,” she shot him a look and he smirked. “Did you think I would bring you food and not bring myself any? I’m not that generous.”   


“You are something,” he laughed. He opened the wrapper with the sandwich she got him and watched her pick at her salad. She looked deep in thought and like something was bothering her. “Is Hattie okay?”   


“Huh?” She looked up and then nodded. “Oh, yeah. Of course she is. She’s with Bess.”   


“Then what is it?”   


“What’s what?”   


“Jo,” he shot her a look. “I can see it on your face. Something is bothering you. What’s going on?”   


“Dawson stopped by the house this morning,” she admitted.   


“Why?” Pacey tensed up.   


“He wanted to talk to me,” she explained. “He wanted to see if I’d have dinner with him.”   


“What did you say?”   


“That I would talk to you and see,” she said. Joey tried to gauge his face for any kind of reaction but he was looking at the food in front of him. Pacey pushed the sandwich away, suddenly losing his appetite, and she frowned. “And it’s clearly a bad idea. So I’m going to tell him no.”   


“Well don’t say no on my account,” he said. “If you want to talk to him and hear him out, then do it. Don’t let me stop you.”   


“Pace,” her frown deepened. She hated the defensive tone and wondered what had brought it on so quickly. “What happened between you and him?”   


“When?”   


“At Thanksgiving,” she said. “I know something happened on the porch. What was it?”   


“Jo,” he sighed and ran a hand over his tired face. He knew he would eventually have to tell her and was dreading that conversation. He wished that Dawson hadn’t ever said anything to him.   


“No secrets, Pace. You remember? We said no secrets,” Joey said. She saw him twirl his wedding band around his finger, which meant something was making anxious, and reached over to rest a hand on top of his.   


“He told me he was still in love with you,” Pacey admitted. She widened her eyes and tensed. He looked down at their joined hands and swallowed hard. “He said he’s trying to get over it but you’re a hard person to get over.”   


“He’s unbelievable,” she shook her head and clenched her jaw. “All the crap he pulls, not a word for a year and a half, and now he claims to be in love with me? What game is he playing?”   


“That was not at all the reaction I was expecting,” he widened his eyes slightly.   


“What did you think I would say?” Joey asked and then her eyes softened. “Pace. Please tell me this isn’t triggering your insecurities?”   


“It’s not,” he shook his head and squeezed her hand. She let out a breath of relief. “I just didn’t want this movie and him being here to open old wounds.”   


“It’s you and me, Pace. We are team, remember?” Joey walked around his desk and dropped down onto his lap. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pressed her forehead against his. “Nothing can break us unless we let it break us.”   


“Nothing can break us,” he promised and pulled her close to him. She buried her face in his neck and held him close to her. “I love you, Jo.”   


“I love you more, Pace.”   


  


  


“Hattie, be careful!” Pacey called out as he watched Hattie run around the backyard. He shook his head in amusement as her curls bounced around her widely and she seemed to be running around in circles, chasing absolutely nothing.   


“Is your child chasing her butt?” Jack teased. He watched his goddaughter and laughed at her enthusiasm. She was just a little ball of energy all the time.   


“It sure looks that way,” Pacey smirked.   


“So, uh,” Jack scratched the back of his head and then leaned back in his chair. Pacey looked over at his friend and saw the conflicted look on his face. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”   


“What’s that?”   


“I was sorta, maybe, kind of, thinking uh,” Jack stumbled over his words and tried to find the right ones.   


“Dude,” Pacey laughed. “What has gotten into you?”   


“I want to marry Doug,” Jack blurted out. Pacey widened his eyes in surprise and then smiled.   


“Well then maybe you should ask him.”   


“I kind of wanted to make sure it was okay with you first,” Jack said. “You’re one of my best friends and Doug’s brother and I don’t want it to be weird.”   


“Jackers,” Pacey chuckled. “You and Dougie are great together. I couldn’t imagine my brother with anyone else. I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen my brother this happy.”   


“Well he makes me really happy too,” Jack promised.   


“Then make an honest man out of him,” Pacey smirked. Jack laughed and let out a breath of relief.   


“Do you think you and Jo will have more?” Jack suddenly asked, his eyes focused on Hattie. He could definitely see Pacey and Joey with another one. Maybe a little boy this time.   


“Maybe,” he shrugged. “We’ve talked about more but aren’t in a rush. We had Hattie young and want to enjoy her childhood before another one.”   


“I mean,” Jack smirked. “The two of you are only twenty-four.”   


“I’ll never forget the look on Jo’s face when she realized she was pregnant. It was like four days before graduation,” Pacey chuckled. “She wasn’t afraid because she was pregnant, she was afraid that she was going to throw up in the middle of the ceremony.”   


“That would’ve been hysterical,” Jack laughed. “Do you remember the exact day when Jo found out she was pregnant?”   


“Of course,” he nodded as he remembered the day.   


_“Jo?” Pacey walked into their bedroom and found her curled up in their bed. She looked like she was asleep but when he got closer, he saw her eyes were wide open and staring at her wedding band. “Sweetheart? Are you okay?”_  


_“Pace,” she whispered and reached out for his hand. He sat down on the bed with her and brushed some of the hair off her face. “I-,”_  


_“What is it?” He brushed his thumb across her forehead, concern filling his entire body. She was four days away from her college graduation and he was worried something had happened with school._  


_“Please don’t be mad,” she pleaded. Her eyes welled with tears and he furrowed his brows._  


_“Mad? Why in the world would I be mad?”_  


_“I’m-,” she swallowed a lump in her throat and blinked quickly. “I’m pregnant.”_  


_“What?” Pacey widened his eyes in surprise and his thumb stilled on her forehead. “You are?”_  


_“I found out this morning,” she nodded and then slowly sat up. “I took like four tests and they were all positive.”_  


_“Wow,” he whispered and then locked eyes with her. “A baby?”_  


_“A baby,” she nodded. “What are you thinking?”_  


_“I’m thinking that I love you so much and that I’m going to love our baby,” he said and she smiled._  


_“It’s a lot sooner than we planned,” she said. “But I’m happy, Pace. It won’t be easy but I think we can handle it.”_  


_“Of course we can,” he nodded. His hand slid down to her flat stomach and he felt his heart skip a beat. His baby. His and Joey’s baby. A little piece of him and a little piece of her. “I love you so much, Jo.”_  


_“I love you so much,” she pressed a kiss to his lips and he responded by smothering her entire face with kisses. Joey giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly. She suddenly pulled back and widened her eyes._  


_“What?” Pacey asked, surprised by her abrupt change in mood._  


_“What if I throw up at graduation?” Joey asked. He started to laugh but quickly stopped when she glared at him. “I’m serious! That would be horrible. Throwing up right as they hand me my diploma. Oh, Pace. I can’t throw up!”_  


_“Okay seriously, Jo. Calm down,” he smirked and cupped her face in his hands. “Let’s not think about that. Let’s celebrate.”_  


_“Celebrate, huh?” Joey raised an eyebrow. “And what did you have in mind, Mr. Witter?”_  


_“Well wifey,” he leaned in and started to kiss her neck. Joey sighed softly as he slowly lowered her down on the bed. “I can think of a thing or two.”_  


_“Do tell,” she moaned as his kisses moved up her jaw._  


_“I could tell you or I could just show you,” he silenced any response with a passionate kiss and the two spent the rest of the night celebrating their new future._  


Suddenly Hattie’s loud cry startled the two of them. Pacey looked over at her and saw her sprawled out on the ground. She was crying loudly and clutching her knee. He quickly shot out of his chair and rushed over to his daughter.   


“Are you okay, baby girl?” Pacey scooped her into his arms and wiped some dirt off her face.   


“Boo-boo,” Hattie cried. She pointed to her knee and he looked down to see some scratches and blood.   


“Oh no,” Pacey frowned and brushed a tear off her face with his thumb. “Should we go clean it up?”   


“Otay,” Hattie pouted out her bottom lip. Pacey had to stop himself from laughing at the utterly sad look on her face. He stood up and shifted her onto his hip. Hattie buried her face into his neck and wrapped her arms tightly around him.   


“We’ll be right back,” Pacey told Jack and he nodded. Pacey walked up to the master bedroom and placed Hattie onto the sink ledge. He got a towel and ran it under the water before moving it to her knee. He gently washed her scratch and she jumped.   


“Ouch!” Hattie whined and more tears ran down her face.   


“I’m sorry sweetheart,” Pacey brushed a piece of hair off her face and smiled softly at her. He continued to wipe off the blood and then grabbed some Band-Aids from the medicine cabinet. “Which one, sailboats or butterflies?”   


“Sailboats!” Hattie pointed at the one in his left hand.   


“That’s my girl,” Pacey chuckled. He unwrapped the bandage and then covered her scrapped knee with it. “All better.”   


“Kisses?” Hattie widened her blue eyes at him and he smiled. He leaned forward and pressed a few kisses to her hurt knee.   


“There,” Pacey tweaked her nose and she giggled. “Now it’s even better.”   


“Thank you daddy,” Hattie grabbed his cheeks with her little hands and kissed his nose. Pacey felt a rush of love shoot through his chest. He thought he had known what love felt like but the love he felt for Hattie was overwhelming. She was the best parts of himself and Joey. She was his greatest accomplishment in life.   


“I love you sweetheart,” Pacey smiled at her.   


“I love you more,” Hattie threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. Pacey swung her onto his hip and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Juice, daddy?”   


“Apple juice?” Pacey asked.   


“Yes please!” Hattie nodded. “And cookies.”   


“No cookies,” Pacey chuckled as they walked towards the kitchen. She pouted and batted her blue eyes at him. “You already had a cookie today, Hat.”   


“But daddy,” Hattie stuck out her bottom lip. Pacey grabbed the juice from the fridge and poured some into one of her sippy cups. Once he screwed the lid on, he handed it to her and then put the juice back into the fridge.   


“Maybe after dinner,” Pacey said as he carried her back outside. He sat back in his chair and Hattie snuggled into his lap.   


“Are you all better?” Jack looked at his goddaughter and smiled. Hattie nodded and rested her head on Pacey’s chest, sipping on her juice. Pacey held her close and ran his fingers through her curls. “I swear, Hattie makes me want a kid.”   


“That sounds like a conversation for you and Dougie to be having.”   


“She’s just so cute!”   


“Well,” Pacey smirked. “She is my kid.”   


“Hopefully she’s more modest than you are,” Jack rolled his eyes.   


“She will be,” Pacey insisted. “She’s going to be like Jo. She’s going to be completely oblivious to just how beautiful she really is.”   


“You’re going to be in huge trouble. Those curls and blue eyes,” Jack chuckled at the look of pure dread on his friend’s face. “She’s going to be quite the heartbreaker.”   


“As long as she’s not the one getting her heartbroken.”   


Pacey held his toddler closer to his chest and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He was going to do whatever he could to make sure she never got her heartbroken. He never wanted to see her in tears because a boy broke her heart. He never wanted to see her wonder what she did wrong and why she wasn’t enough. Pacey was going to do whatever he could do to make sure she had the best life. He was going to do whatever he could to make sure she was the happiest she could be.   


“You are such a protective dad,” Jack shook his head in amusement. He remembered the moment he had seen Pacey cradling a newborn Hattie and he saw the look of pure adoration in his eyes. He knew that Pacey would move mountains for his daughter and would protect her from anything life tried to throw at her.   


“He created the word protective,” Joey’s teasing voice startled the two of them. They saw her walking up the front porch with Jen and they both had bright smiles on their faces.   


“Hi mommy!” Hattie waved at her mom.   


“Hi baby,” Joey walked over and pressed a kiss to Hattie’s forehead.   


“I have boo-boo,” Hattie frowned and pointed at her bandaged knee.   


“Oh no,” Joey squatted down in front of her and ran a gentle finger over her hurt knee. “What happened, my sweet girl?”   


“I fell,” Hattie pouted.   


“Well it looks like daddy fixed it all up for you,” Joey smiled softly at her daughter.   


“He kissed it,” Hattie snuggled back into Pacey’s arms.   


“Well that was nice of him,” Joey stood back up and pressed a kiss to Pacey’s forehead, running her fingers through his hair.   


“So, what’s with the two of you?” Jack asked, looking between the two women. “Why are you two so happy?”   


“Someone has a date tomorrow,” Joey clapped her hands in excitement.   


“Well it better be Lindley because I know for sure we don’t have anything planned,” Pacey said. Joey rolled her eyes and sat on the arm of his chair.   


“Of course it’s Jen!” Joey said.   


“With who?” Jack asked. “Where did you meet this person? Why am I just finding this out? Answer me, woman!”   


“Chill,” Jen sat on the chair next to his and shook her head. “His name is Matt. I met him while I was covering at the restaurant while I was covering for Pacey. We were able to finally get our schedules to coordinate so we could have a date.”   


“Matt?” Pacey repeated and then widened his eyes. “My liquor guy? You have a date with my liquor guy?”   


“Maybe,” she smiled sheepishly. “He’s so handsome and so funny. We talked for like thirty minutes the last time he came to the restaurant. He’s just, different. I can’t explain it.”   


“Look at that smile,” Joey smiled wide and rested a hand on her chest. “I haven’t seen you this happy since Amy was born.”   


“She’s right, Lindley. You deserve to be happy and Matt’s a good guy,” Pacey said. Hattie squirmed in his lap and then grabbed his hand, playing with his long fingers.   


“Where’s he taking you?” Jack asked.   


“Just to dinner,” she said. “We wanted to keep it simple for the first date. He’s picking me up at seven.”   


“Do you want us to have a talk with him? Make sure his intentions are honorable?” Pacey asked. Jen smirked and shook her head.   


“As much as I’d love to see your macho tough guy sides,” she teased and he laughed. “I think I’d at least like to get dinner with him first before you scare him off.”   


“I don’t scare people off!” Pacey protested.   


“Tell that to all of Hattie’s future boyfriends,” Jack smirked. Pacey just glared at him in return and everyone laughed when he held Hattie tight to his body. They all felt sorry for the guys that tried to date Pacey Witter’s daughter.   


“Just think guys,” Jen said and had a dreamy look on her face. “I could finally be joining the love fest.”   


“If anyone deserves this, it’s you.” Joey insisted. “You deserve all the happiness in the world, Jen.”   


“Agreed,” Pacey nodded and Jack nodded as well. Jen blushed slightly and smiled. She was so thankful for the three of them. She was so thankful for her little family.   


  


  


Joey closed the door to Hattie’s room, quietly, and then let out a breath. It had taken forever to get her daughter down tonight. She was fighting sleep hard and it had taken an extra twenty minutes to get her to sleep tonight. She walked down the hall in search of her husband, and was curious by how quiet it was. She expected to hear water running or to hear the television or to even hear the radio but nothing. She walked down the stairs and saw the living room empty. The front door was open slightly and she knew exactly where he was. Grabbing a blanket off the couch, Joey stepped onto the front porch and smiled. Pacey was sitting on the swing and holding a bottle of beer in his hand, looking up at the stars. She saw a glass of wine sitting on the small table next to the swing and smiled at his thoughtfulness.   


“Hey you,” Joey ran her hand over his shoulder and then sat down next to him. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and grabbed her wine glass.   


“Hey,” he smiled softly at her. “She finally down?”   


“Finally,” she sighed. “You would think with all the running around she did today, she’d go down easily. No such luck.”   


“We haven’t had a rough night like this in a while,” he shrugged. “We were due for a night like this one.”   


“Thank you for taking care of the dishes while I got her to sleep,” Joey ran her fingers through his hair and smiled.   


“Anything for you, my love.”   


“So,” Joey took a sip of her wine. “Jen and Matt, huh?”   


“I can honestly say I did not see that one coming,” he said and laughed. “Matt's a good guy though. I like him. He’s got a good head on his shoulders too.”   


“After all she’s been through in the last few years and all that CJ’s put her through, she deserves to be happy. She deserves a guy who is going to treat her and Amy the way they deserve to be treated,” Joey said.   


“She’s had a rough run with relationships,” Pacey agreed. “Henry. CJ. Charlie. Dawson.”   


“I kind of thought she and Dawson would make it work for a while,” she admitted and then took another sip of her wine.   


“You did?” He looked at her skeptically. “When? He was pretty terrible to her in high school.”   


“In college,” she said. “After they slept together. I thought that could be something serious.”   


“Jo,” he shook his head. “I love you, but come on. He was far too hung up on you to ever give Jen the chance she deserved. He was way too hung up on our relationship to ever invest himself in a relationship of his own.”   


“I know,” she frowned. “Do you think I did this to him? Do you think I gave him false hope?”   


“No,” he shook his head and pulled her close to his side. “Dawson lives in a fantasy. He’s always been so wrapped up in the idea of how things should be that he’s never been able to focus on the real world. It has nothing to do with you. He’s jealous you were able to break out of that bedroom and find yourself in the real world. He’s jealous you were able to find real love. Dawson always relished in the fact that you needed him. He loved that you put him first and when you stopped doing that, he didn’t know what to do. He still doesn’t know what to do.”   


“I feel so on edge having him here,” she admitted. Joey rested her head on Pacey’s shoulder and twirled the wine glass around in her hands. “It’s like I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop with him. I don’t trust his motives with this movie.”   


“What do you mean?”   


“It’s a movie about our high school years, Pace. He always remembers those days as the time we betrayed him. The days where we made him feel terrible,” she explained. Joey sat up and looked over at him. “Why would he want to relive that? Why would he want to come back here, knowing that we live here, to shoot that movie? Dawson is a lot of things but he’s not stupid. There is always a plan in place with him.”   


“Come here,” Pacey put their drinks down and pulled her into his arms. Joey snuggled into his side and buried her face into his neck. “He’s not going to pull anything, Jo. He’s not going to ruin anything. He’s not close enough to us to get between us. We won’t let him ruin anything, even if he does try. I’d hope he’s smart enough by now to know better but we have our eyes open wide.”   


“You promise?” Joey looked up and into the eyes she loved most in the world.   


“I swear,” he promised. Pacey cupped one of her cheeks in his hand and gently pressed a kiss to her lips. He rested his forehead against hers and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I love you, Jo. I love you, so much.”   


“I love you so much, sweetheart.”   


  


  


Pacey stuffed his hands into his pockets and took a deep breath. He didn’t want to do this, he didn’t want to be anywhere near this place. He didn’t want to look him in the eyes and talk to him but he had no choice. After their conversation last night, the nerves on Joey’s face and the panic in her voice, he needed to do this for her. Pacey needed to find out his true motives, for Joey’s sake. So with her beautiful face in his mind and that thought in his brain, he lifted his hand and knocked on the front door of the house that used to feel like his own. Not even a minute later, Dawson opened the door and his face was one of pure surprise.   


“Pacey?”   


“Yeah,” Pacey nodded and shuffled his weight back and forth between his feet. “We need to talk.”   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All will be revealed in the next chapter. It's the chapter I'm sure you've all been waiting for. The truth of what happened between Pacey and Dawson will finally be told!


	4. Chapter 4

“Do you want to come in?” Dawson asked. He stood hesitantly in the doorway, not quite sure what his former best friend wanted to talk about. Pacey didn’t look angry but he also knew that could change very quickly if discussion of the past played a part.  


“Why don’t we sit out here?” Pacey suggested. The last thing he wanted to do was step inside the house. There were too many memories and he was sure it was full of stuff for his movie. A movie that he wanted no part of.  


“Sure,” the blonde followed him outside. He pulled the front door shut behind him and then took a seat on one of the chairs on the porch next to his former best friend. “So, how are you?”  


“I didn’t come here for small talk,” Pacey said. He twirled the wedding band around his finger and noticed that Dawson was looking at it intently. It made something twist furiously inside of him and he sighed. “Why are you making this movie?”  


“Pacey-“  


“Seriously, Dawson. Why are you making this movie? What is the point behind it?” Pacey asked. “Why are you rehashing the past? A past that you openly hated.”  


“It helps me,” he admitted.  


“Helps you?” Pacey repeated. “Helps you with what? Helps you relive the good old days when Joey was your whole world and you were her whole world?”  


“That’s not fair-“  


“What’s not fair is you just showing up like this and throwing all of our lives for a loop,” Pacey interrupted him.  


“I didn’t come here to disrupt anything!” Dawson protested. He watched Pacey shoot him a disbelieving look, making it clear that he didn’t believe him. “Maybe I just wanted to reconnect with all my friends. The friends that I have barely spoken to in the last year and a half.”  


“Don’t go down that road, man. I promise you that you don’t want to go down the path with me,” Pacey narrowed his eyes.  


“I apologized to you. I apologized to Joey,” Dawson continued on as if Pacey hadn’t said anything. Pacey clenched his jaw and twirled his wedding band again. “I don’t know what more you want for me.”  


“Do you honestly think that an apology can fix this?” Pacey asked. “Do you think the words ‘I’m sorry’ will erase what you said?”  


“I was drunk!”  


“You were out of line and even in your drunken haze, you knew that.”  


“So how am I supposed to fix this?” Dawson asked. “How am I supposed to get my friendships back?”  


“You don’t want your friendships back,” Pacey snorted. “The only friendship you give a shit about is your friendship with Joey. That’s always been the only one you ever cared about and I use the word care in the broadest of terms.”  


“I cared about her!” Dawson snapped. “I still care about her.”  


“In your weird fantasy world, I’m sure you did. But the minute she showed an interesting in something or someone that you didn’t agree with, then you treated her like crap. When you couldn’t control her or manipulate her, you wanted no part of her. When someone else wanted her then all of a sudden you wanted her,” Pacey shook his head and stood up. “I don’t even know why I bothered coming over here. I forgot how much it’s like talking to a brick wall with you sometimes.”  


“That’s not fair,” he stood up and glared at his former best friend. “I have matured.”  


“If that was the case then you wouldn’t be making a movie about your teenager years,” Pacey said. “Look, stay away from Joey. She doesn’t need you messing with her head and playing mind games with her. She’s happy, man. She’s really happy. If you ever cared about her at all, then you would want her to stay that way.”  


“Pacey-“  


“Goodbye, Dawson.”  


Pacey turned to walk away from his erstwhile best friend and stuffed his hands into his pockets. That conversation went about as well as Pacey expected it to. He wasn’t sure what he had been hoping for when he showed up, but that wasn’t it. He wasn’t sure why he still expected Dawson to handle problems with a maturity that he just hadn’t found yet. He took a deep breath and looked out at the creek. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he had a feeling this was only the beginning of his problems with Dawson.  


  


  


“Momma!” Hattie called out from her bedroom. She sat up in her little bed and rubbed her eyes. She looked around the dark room and desperately wanted out. She pouted when her mom didn’t instantly appear but then a minute later, she saw Joey walk into the room.  


“Hi baby,” Joey smiled at the sight of her half asleep daughter. She walked over towards the bed and sat on the edge of it. Joey tucked a few curls behind Hattie’s ear and was rewarded with her beautiful blue eyes. The eyes that matched Pacey’s. “Did you have a good nap?”  


“Yes,” she crawled over towards her mom and into her lap. Hattie nuzzled herself into Joey’s arms and let out a long yawn. Joey ran her fingers through the toddler’s hair and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Sleepy.”  


“Still tired, huh?”  


“Yes,” she mumbled and buried her face into Joey’s shoulder. “Hungry.”  


“We are going to have dinner when daddy gets home,” Joey said. “He’s going to bring pizza home for us.”  


“Pizza?” Her eyes widened and she looked up at her mom in excitement. Joey smiled. She really was Pacey’s daughter.  


“Pizza,” she nodded.  


“Play?” Hattie looked up at Joey, her blue eyes wide and questioning.  


“Do you want to go play with your dolls?” Joey asked.  


Hattie’s latest obsession was her dolls. She carried them with her everywhere. Pacey and Joey were constantly finding dolls all over the house. One time Joey found one in their bathroom, while it was still dark out, and she screamed at the top of her lungs. Pacey came rushing into the bathroom, concerned she was hurt, and found her staring at the doll. After realizing she was okay, Pacey proceeded to laugh at her for the next twenty minutes. She glared at him and stormed out of the room but he continued to mock her for the remainder of the day.  


“You too?”  


“Of course,” she nodded.  


“Carry me,” Hattie locked her arms around Joey’s neck and snuggled into her chest.  


“Always,” Joey lifted her up and swung her around to her hip as she stood up. “I love you, sweet girl.”  


“I love you more,” Hattie nuzzled her face into Joey’s neck and tightened her grip on her mom. Just as Joey was about to turn into the living room, she heard a pounding on the front door. She furrowed her brows and looked at her daughter.  


“I wonder who that is,” she said.  


“Daddy?” Hattie guessed. Her eyes widening in excitement at the idea of seeing her dad. Joey chuckled. She was such a daddy’s girl.  


“Daddy has a key silly,” Joey tweaked her nose and Hattie giggled. Mother and daughter made their way over to the door and before Joey even had the door fully open, Jen came barreling through with Jack following closely behind. “Uh, hi?”  


“Jack!” Hattie opened her arms to her favorite uncle and he immediately scooped her up.  


“Hey mini Witter!” Jack pressed a kiss to her cheek and spun her around. “Whatcha up to?”  


“Dolls,” Hattie pointed in the direction of the living room and where her collection of dolls were.  


“Well come on then,” Jack carried her over in that direction. Joey smiled at the two of them. Jack was so good with her and she clearly adored her godfather.  


“Jack!” Jen protested. “You are supposed to be helping me get ready for my date! I have no idea what I’m supposed to wear.”  


“Is that what this is?” Joey asked, noticing the stack of clothes in her best friend’s arms.  


“I haven’t been on a date since before Amy was born,” she groaned.  


“Yes you have,” Jack looked over from his spot on the ground with Hattie. “You went on a date like six months ago.”  


“I haven’t been on a date with someone that I genuinely like since before she was born,” Jen corrected. She dropped onto the couch and dropped the clothes down next to her.  


“And you really like Matt?” Joey asked, sitting down next to her. She loved seeing her so excited over a date.  


“I could,” she nodded. “He makes me laugh and I feel like he actually sees me for me.”  


“Does he know about Amy?” Joey asked.  


“Yeah,” she nodded again. “That was one of the first things I made sure he knew. I don’t want to fall for a guy and then come to find out that he has an issue with me being a mom. Amy will always come first and he needed to know that.”  


“How did he react?” Joey asked.  


“He seemed genuinely okay with it. He didn’t even flinch or blink twice over it. He said he couldn’t wait for the day when he hopefully got to meet her,” Jen explained.  


“Well he certainly sounds like a keeper to me,” she smiled wide. “Now, lay the wardrobe struggle on me. What’s on your mind?”  


For the next half hour, Jen tried on the numerous outfits that she had brought with her. Ultimately she decided on a light blue blouse that made her eyes pop with a black skirt and black pumps. Her blonde hair framed her face in loose curls and she finished off the look with a little mascara and lip gloss. Jack smiled wide at her and told her just how gorgeous she really looked. Joey rested a hand on her chest and looked very close to tears before commenting on how beautiful she looked. Hattie flashed a little smile and said pretty before turning back to her dolls.  


Suddenly the front door opened and then slammed shut, loudly. The three adults looked over, clearly startled by the loud noise. Hattie dropped her dolls and started to cry, clearly startled by the loud noise. Joey walked over and scooped her daughter up into her arms, rubbing her back comfortingly.  


“It’s okay, sweet girl. Shh,” Joey soothed and rocked her in her arms. Pacey appeared in the living room, a look of regret on his face. His heart clenched at the sight of Hattie crying because of him.  


“I’m sorry,” he winced when he saw his daughter crying. Joey shot him a look and he grimaced. Pacey walked over and rubbed Hattie’s back, but she only buried her face into Joey’s neck and whimpered. “I’m sorry, Hat. I didn’t mean to scare you.”  


“Otay,” she mumbled but held Joey tight. Pacey’s face fell and he ran a hand over his face. Joey took pity on her husband and rubbed his arm, knowing he was upset that he upset their daughter.  


“What happened?” Joey asked.  


“Same as always,” he muttered. He turned to leave the living room and head into the kitchen.  


“We all know what this is about, right?” Jack chimed in.  


“Dawson,” Jen sighed. Joey agreed with her friends. There was only one person in the world that could turn Pacey’s mood to crap that quickly. His former best friend was the only person who knew exactly which buttons to push.  


“What happened, Joey?” Jack asked.  


“What do you mean?” Joey furrowed her brows. “I’ve been here with Hattie and then the two of you. I have no idea what happened.”  


“Joey,” Jen shot her an annoyed look. “You know exactly what we are talking about.”  


“That’s not my story to tell,” she shook her head. Hattie squirmed in her arms, clearly feeling better, and Joey placed her on the ground. She rushed over to her toys and abandoned the dolls for her blocks.  


“But-,” Jack protested and then froze when he saw Pacey walk back into the room. He looked at his wife and then two best friends. His eyes drifted over towards his daughter and he let out a tired sigh.  


“Do you really want to do this tonight?” Pacey asked and then looked over at the blonde. “You are supposed to be getting into date mode. You look beautiful, by the way.”  


“Thanks Pace,” she smiled sweetly. “And I still have two hours until my date. Unless this is the longest story ever, then I’ve got the time. I always have time for you.”  


“Lindley,” his eyes softened and she squeezed his arm. He looked over at Joey, who nodded her head encouragingly. “Let’s talk in the kitchen.”  


Pacey watched his two friends and wife head in the direction of the kitchen. He looked over at Hattie, who turned to face him and smiled at him. He smiled in return and watched her for a minute as she turned her attention back towards her blocks. His heart swelled with love for his daughter and she gave him strength every day to move forward. He headed in the direction of the kitchen and saw the three of them waiting for him patiently. Pacey dropped into the chair next to Joey and she immediately reached for his hand.  


“So,” he sighed. “Where do I start?”  


“Well, tell us the night the confrontation happened.” Jack said. Pacey looked at Joey, who looked over at him with a sad smile.  


“The night of Hattie’s first birthday party,” he said. “It was the night that we all went out for drinks while Bessie and Grams watched the girls.”  


_“I don’t feel so good,” Dawson moaned and dropped his head on the table._  


_“It’s clear that you still can’t handle your alcohol,” Jen smirked and then sipped on her drink._  


_“I think I drank too fast,” he slurred. His stomach cramped up and he suddenly felt sick. He lifted a hand to cover his mouth and groaned. “Oh no.”_  


_“And here he goes,” Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head. He had forgotten just how poorly Dawson handled his alcohol._  


_“Ugh,” Dawson scrambled out of his chair and stumbled out of the bar. Pacey rolled his eyes and moved to follow him outside._  


_“I’ve got it,” he ran his hand over to the back of Joey’s head and she smiled gratefully at him. Pacey followed his friend out of the bar and saw him heaving into a bush. He leaned against the wall, stuffed his hands into his pockets and waited for the blonde to finish whatever the hell he was currently doing._  


_“Why do I drink?” Dawson moaned and stumbled into the wall. He rested his forehead against it and his face was incredibly pale._  


_“You tell me,” Pacey shrugged._  


_“Where’s Joey?” Dawson mumbled and tried to focus on his friend. He tried to get the world to stop spinning around them but nothing helped._  


_“Why?” Pacey raised an eyebrow. He already had a feeling he didn’t want to hear where this was about to go._  


_“I miss her,” Dawson slurred and stumbled to an upright position. Pacey narrowed his eyes and watched him start to pace, completely off balance. He was mildly concerned that his friend was about to fall over but the blonde didn’t seem fazed._  


_“Dawson-“_  


_“We were supposed to be married,” Dawson continued on as if Pacey wasn’t even there. Pacey immediately tensed up and straightened up. “She promised that we would have a beautiful life and a happy family.”_  


_“You were ten, Dawson. You were kids when you made those promises to each other. You can’t honestly still hold her to those promises.” The doors to the bar opened, music overwhelmed both of their senses, but they were too wrapped up in their stare down to notice the person that joined the mix._  


_“Hattie is supposed to be mine,” Dawson snapped. Pacey reminded himself to breath because he felt himself seconds away from punching Dawson. He knew that it was the alcohol talking but it didn’t take away the sting from the words. It didn’t erase the bitter taste left in his mouth. “Joey is supposed to be my wife and Hattie is supposed to be my daughter.”_  


_“Stop it,” Pacey snapped. “You need to stop it right now.”_  


_“You stole my life! You got her pregnant so that she could never leave you again!” Dawson gripped his hair and tugged. “You took her from me. You knew that she and I were meant to be together and you made sure that it would never happen.”_  


_“I didn’t do anything to her. Joey and I are in a consensual relationship and every choice that is made between us are made by both of us,” Pacey glared at him. “I have never forced her to do anything she doesn’t want her to do. I have never tried to manipulate her into staying with me, unlike her supposed best friend.”_  


_“I have never manipulated her,” he tried to glare but he just ended up looking constipated._  


_“If you genuinely believe that then you have more problems than I thought.”_  


_“I’m in love with her! She is supposed to be with me,” Dawson yelled. “I love her more than you’ll ever love her.”_  


_“You are in love with the idea of her,” Pacey glared. “You don’t even know who the real Joey Potter is. You’ve never known her. You have built up this image of the woman you want her to be and that’s not how real life works. This isn’t one of your scripts. You can’t just create a character in your head and then get pissed when they don’t live up to that image.”_  


_“You bastard-“ Dawson went to charge at Pacey but a voice stopped him right in his tracks._  


_> “Dawson Leery,” Joey stepped forward and both of the guys looked over at her. “I want you to think very carefully about the next move that you make.” _  


_“It’s not too late, Joey!” He pleaded with her. Pacey was sure if he clenched his jaw any tighter, it might break. He looked over at his wife and saw a fire in her eyes that he hadn’t ever seen before. A fire that almost terrified him. “It’s not too late for us. I can help you raise Hattie. I can be her dad.”_  


_“I swear-“ Pacey started to say but Joey beat him to the punch._  


_“You will never be her dad. You will never be her uncle. You will never be anything to her,” Joey’s voice was so cold that Dawson physically flinched. “As far as I’m concerned you will never be anything to any of us.”_  


_“Joey-“_  


_“I suggest you walk away and get water right now. I suggest you turn around and sober up,” Pacey said. Dawson looked at Joey, and then over at Pacey. The realization of what he had done hit him hard and was enough to sober him up. He stumbled away from the two of them and rushed back into the bar._  


_“Pace,” Joey whispered. He looked over at his wife and she was almost startled by the look of pure devastation in his eyes._  


_“I’m fine,” he waved her off and she frowned. Joey walked over to him and rested her hand on his shoulder. He looked down at her and tears glistened his eyes. “I, uh. I don’t know what to say.”_  


_“There’s nothing to say,” she shook her head. “He crossed a line and there’s no coming back from what he said.”_  


_“I’m sorry,” he whispered and she furrowed her brows._  


_“What in the world are you sorry for?”_  


_“That you lost your best friend because of me,” he looked away from her. Joey swallowed back the tears threatening to spill and grabbed his jaw in her hand, forcing him to look at her. She forced back the rage she felt towards Dawson and focused on what was important. She focused on the person that was important._  


_“I lost Dawson because of Dawson,” she insisted and continued on when he went to say something. “Stop apologizing for his childish behavior. Dawson made his choice and now he gets to live with it. He gets to deal with the consequences of his actions.”_  


_“Can we just go?” Pacey asked. “I just want to go get Hattie and go home.”_  


_“Of course,” she nodded. She pressed a kiss to his lips and hoped it showed him just how much she loved him, how she was never going to leave him._  


_“Just give me a minute,” he said. “I want to make sure that Jack gets Dawson home safely.”_  


_“You are truly something else, Pacey Witter.” Joey shook her head in amazement. Dawson broke his heart, betrayed him, picked at every insecurity, and Pacey still made sure he was taken care of. She would never understand how his heart remained so good when he had every reason to break. Joey watched him walk away and was sure she fell even more in love with him in that moment._  


“I-,” for the first time in her life, Jen was completely and utterly speechless. She looked over at Jack and saw a very similar look on his face. The two looked at Pacey and could see the pain in his eyes from the memory. Joey was clutching his hand tightly and rubbing comforting circles around the back of it. She looked just as pained but there was no denying the love for her husband in her eyes.  


“Why did you ask me to take care of him?” Jack finally asked. “If I would’ve known what he said, I would’ve left his ass in the bar.”  


“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Pacey said. “He needed to get home safely and I knew the two of you would get him there.”  


“How are you this way?” Jen shook her head in amazement.  


“I’m not-“ he shook his head but Jack glared at him.  


“Quit being modest,” he said. Pacey blushed slightly and averted his eyes from the looks his friends and wife were giving him.  


“How did you forgive him?” Jen asked. “I mean, the three of you are mostly tolerable of each other. How do you stand to be around each other? I can’t even imagine looking him in the eyes after saying something like that.”  


“He was drunk,” Pacey shrugged. “I knew he was lashing out because of the alcohol. I certainly haven’t forgotten what he said but there’s no point hating him. I’m happy with my life, I’m happy with how everything turned out for us. He’s lonely and bitter.”  


“I’m sorry he said that,” Jen frowned. She reached over and squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Pace.”  


“No one should ever have to hear that. Especially from the person you consider a best friend,” Jack agreed.  


“Daddy!” Hattie called from the living room. Pacey smiled softly at his friends and then headed in the direction of his daughter. The three best friends sat quietly in the kitchen and looked at the empty seat that Pacey had just vacated.  


“How has he not broken?” Jen finally broke the silence. “Between his family and Dawson. Life has not been kind to Pace. How does he have probably the kindest heart I know?”  


“I don’t know,” Joey shook her head. She brushed her thumb across her wedding ring and felt her heart flutter. She had asked herself the same question many times over the years. The two noticed Jack was sitting there, quietly and with a far off look on his face.  


“I should’ve done something that night. I should’ve left Dawson. I should’ve cut off immediate contact with him,” he said.  


“No,” Joey shook her head and reached over to grab his hand. “That’s not what Pacey wanted. You know that, Jack.”  


“But-“  


“But nothing,” Joey squeezed his hand. “You’ve done exactly what Pacey wanted. He didn’t tell you this for you to choose sides. He told you this so you understand the rift.”  


“How are we supposed to not choose sides?” Jen chimed in.  


“Because there aren’t sides,” Joey shook her head. “Pacey and Dawson have made peace with the state of their relationship. Pacey has come to terms with it. He knows that he and Dawson will never have the friendship they once had and he’s okay with that. Does he miss him? Of course. Does he wish things could’ve turned out differently? Absolutely. But he’s not dwelling on it. He’s living the life he has always wanted.”  


“And what about you?” Jack asked.  


“What about me?”  


“How have you handled losing that relationship?” Jen asked. “Your friendship with Dawson was always so important to you.”  


“It was,” she nodded. “When I was a child. As I got older, as I fell in love with Pacey and learned who I was, I realized the friendship was not something that I needed in my adult life. There was no growing or maturity. I resorted to the same fifteen year old girl I always was whenever I was around him. Dawson and I were good friends for a certain period of my life. He was what I needed when I felt like I had nowhere else to turn.”  


“Then Pacey came along,” Jen nodded.  


“Then Pacey came along and made me realize that there is more to life than hiding away in a bedroom, watching movies. He showed me what I’m capable of and challenged me every single day to become the best version of myself,” she said. Joey felt the sudden urge to wrap herself up in her husband’s arms and to never let go. “He showed me what real love and friendship is supposed to look like.”  


“So, how do we move forward from this?” Jack asked. “How are we supposed to handle Dawson now?”  


“The same way you always would,” she said.  


“But-“  


“Someone wants pizza,” Pacey walked into the kitchen with Hattie in his arms.  


“Pizza!” Hattie cheered.  


“Someone was supposed to bring some home for her,” Joey shot him a teasing look.  


“Oops,” he winced and then looked down at his daughter. “Daddy forgot to bring home pizza."  


“Daddy,” she scrunched up her nose and crossed her arms. Her mouth morphed into a little scowl and he raised an amused eyebrow.  


“Looks like someone is mad at their daddy,” Jen teased.  


“A Potter female is mad at me? What else is new,” he smirked and then winced when Joey shot him a look that was very similar to Hattie’s. “Alright, alright! I’m going to get the pizza.”  


“I come?” Hattie widened her eyes and grabbed his cheeks with her little hands.  


“Oh now she loves me with the promise of food,” he kissed her nose and she giggled. “Yes, you can come with me.”  


“Make sure you get extra,” Jack said. “I didn’t eat lunch today.”  


“Who the heck invited you to stay for dinner?” Pacey retorted.  


“Yeah, yeah. Pretend you don’t love me and don’t want me here. Get the cheesy bread while you’re at it,” Jack said. Pacey shot his wife a look and she smirked in return.  


“You heard the man,” she shrugged. “I haven’t had cheesy bread in forever.”  


“I can’t believe I’m missing pizza night!” Jen complained. “Make tomorrow pizza night instead!”  


“You’re getting a free meal from a cute guy with the possibility of a kiss at the end of the night. What the heck are you complaining about?” Jack raised an eyebrow.  


“You’re right,” she smiled wide. “Never mind. Enjoy your pizza night.”  


“I’ll make you your own home cooked meal tomorrow, Lindley.” Pacey promised and her eyes lit up.  


“Hey!” Jack protested. “Wait a second! I want a home cooked Pacey meal!”  


“Sorry,” he smirked. “You chose pizza night.”  


“No fair,” he grumbled.  


“Daddy,” Hattie tapped her dad’s shoulder and pointed at the front door. “Pizza.”  


“The princess has spoken,” Pacey said. He leaned down to kiss Joey and then pinched Jen’s cheek. “Have fun on your date, Lindley. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”  


“So the possibilities are endless,” she stuck her tongue out and he playfully glared in return.  


“Cute,” he deadpanned and then turned to walk out of the house with his daughter. He listened to the three of them start up a conversation as he left and smiled to himself. He really did love his life.  


  


  


Pacey pressed a kiss to the now sleeping Hattie’s forehead and then lifted the covers to cover her tiny body. He watched her sleep for another minute and brushed a stray curl off her forehead. Lifting himself to a standing position, Pacey turned and quietly walked out of the bedroom. He heard Joey and Jack still talking downstairs and smirked. The front door opened and he heard Jen’s voice join the mix. With a shake of his head, he headed downstairs. He knew when Joey and he moved into this house, the two of them would always be over. They promised them that there was always an open door policy. He laughed to himself as he remembered the day he and Joey moved out of their Boston apartment. He and Jack had to pry Joey and Jen apart.  


_“I’m not ready for this!” Jen pouted and dropped onto the couch in their apartment. Joey sat down on the couch next to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve been living together for two years now! I don’t care that you two are married and having a baby. We can all raise this baby together!”_  


_“Pace wants to be domestic or something like that,” Joey shrugged. “Plus, he’s starting work on The Ice House so it’s kind of important for us to be in Capeside to do that. You and Jack will be there before you know it.”_  


_“It’s not the same,” Jen crossed her arms. “What am I supposed to do at three in the morning when I can’t sleep? Who am I supposed to eat rocky road ice cream with while making fun of trashy reality television?”_  


_“I’m sure Pacey will still do that with you over the phone,” Joey insisted._  


_“Don’t go, Joey!” Jen grabbed her arm._  


_“Am I not good enough, blondie?” Jack walked into the room with Pacey and the two smirked at the teary eyed women on the couch._  


_“No,” she frowned. “We are a team! One for all and some crap like that.”_  


_“I’m sure that’s exactly how that saying went,” Pacey smirked and then groaned when a pillow hit him in the face. “Not nice, Lindley.”_  


_“You just had to go marry her and get her pregnant,” Jen rolled her eyes._  


_“I know, I know. I’m a truly terrible person,” Pacey ruffled her hair and then ducked when she went to punch him. “How awful of me to fall in love and want to spend my life with Jo.”_  


_“Yes it is,” she glared at him and he smiled._  


_“You know we will always have an open door policy for you, Lindley.”_  


_“Always?” She raised an eyebrow. “Even when you’re asleep?”_  


_“Because that’s not creepy or anything,” Jack snorted. Joey giggled and rested her head on his arm._  


_“Why are you so calm about this, Jack? They are leaving you, too!”_  


_“Probably because we are going to be moving near them in less than a month,” he shrugged. He brushed a piece of Joey’s hair off her shoulder and smiled. “And because I’m going to call them every single day that they get so tired of me they will regret leaving.”_  


_“And on that note,” Pacey clapped his hands and looked over at his wife. “Are you ready?”_  


_“I guess,” she shrugged._  


_“You overwhelm me with your love and excitement, Potter.” Pacey deadpanned and she fought a grin._  


_“Someone has to keep you on your toes. And it’s Witter!” she teased. Her eyes shifted over to Jen and they immediately filled with tears. “I’m going to miss you, Jen.”_  


_“Stop that!” Jen’s eyes filled with her own tears and she glared through them. “If you start crying, I’m going to cry.”_  


_“Remember when we used to hate each other?” Joey brushed a tear off her face._  


_“Don’t use sarcasm to deal with this emotional moment!” Jen threw her arms around the brunette, and Joey hugged her back tightly. The two guys watched in amusement and then shook their heads when the women refused to part from each other._  


_“Okay,” Pacey stepped forward and gently tugged on Joey’s waist, pulling her way from the blonde. “Say goodbye, Jo.”_  


_“Bye,” she frowned. Jack wrapped her up in a tight hug and then Pacey kissed Jen’s forehead before they all separated._  


_“Don’t forget us!” Jack waved his hand and everyone laughed._  


_“As if that’s possible, Jackers.” Pacey teased._  


“Aren’t you supposed to be on a date, Lindley?” Pacey asked as he made his presence known. He dropped down on the reclining chair and Joey immediately abandoned her spot on the couch to sit in his lap. She snuggled up close to him and wrapped one of her arms around his shoulders, curling his hair around her finger. He reclined their chair and the two tangled their legs together.  


“I was on a date,” she said. “Then I had him drop me off here for some postdate recap.”  


“And?” Joey prompted. “How was it?”  


“I can definitely say that there will be a second date,” she bit her lip and blushed. “He was so kind and so funny. He held the door open for me and even pulled my chair out for me. He was so easy to talk to.”  


“Did he kiss you?” Jack asked, the excitement pouring out of him.  


“On the cheek,” she nodded. “We both agreed that we didn’t want to rush anything and that there will definitely be time for kissing on a future date.”  


“So,” Pacey raised an eyebrow. “When do we get to meet him?”  


“You’ve already met him,” she shot him a look. He rolled his eyes in return.  


“I’ve met him as my liquor guy. I want to meet him as Lindley’s guy,” he said. Jen blushed and smiled to herself.  


“Maybe after the fifth date.”  


“So there will be a fifth date?” Joey clapped and smiled wide. Pacey held her close to his body and traced circles around the bare skin under her shirt.  


“Maybe,” she shrugged but the blush on her face said otherwise.  


“Well, here’s to Jen!” Jack held up his beer bottle. Everyone else held up their respective drinks and smiled. “To finally finding a guy that will treat her the way she deserves to be treated. A guy that will cherish her the way she deserves to be treated.”  


“To Jen!” Pacey and Joey cheered and they all took a sip of their drinks.  


  


  


“Jen looked so happy,” Joey said once the two were alone. They had hung out with Jen and Jack for another hour before Jack headed home to Doug and Jen to Amy. Pacey and Joey checked on Hattie once more and then retreated to their room for the night.  


“She did,” he nodded in agreement.  


“It’s nice to see,” she said. “I hope things with this Matt guy work out the way she wants.”  


“Me too,” Pacey tossed his watch onto the dresser and pulled off his shirt. Joey watched his movements and smiled at the sight of his muscular back. She only had one thing on her mind right now and there was only one thing she wanted in this moment. She walked over and ran her hand up his bare back, watching the muscles flex underneath her hand. “Are you coming on to me, Potter?”  


“Is it working?” Joey kinked an eyebrow and let her hand slip to the front of his body. She pressed a kiss to his back and then one to each shoulder blade.  


“You are definitely trying to seduce me,” he mumbled and then let his head fall back when her lips moved to his neck.  


“And what do you intend to do about it, Pace?” Joey whispered in his ear and then nibbled on his earlobe.  


“Well I could tell you,” he slowly turned around to face her. Joey swallowed hard at the look of pure lust in his eyes and her entire body filled with warmth. She knew that he only had one thing on his mind in that moment. It’s like everything else around them disappeared and it was just the two of them. Their connection was just as intense as ever. Their gravitational pull was still as strong as ever. “Or I could just show you.”  


“Let’s go with that one,” she nodded. Pacey scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed. They fell backwards and laughter filled the room as the tumbled around in the sheets. Joey looked into Pacey’s eyes, and he stared right back, the amusement quickly leaving them. Her finger traced the lines of his face and he closed his eyes at the gentle touch. “I love you, Pace. So much.”  


“I love you so much, sweetheart.” Pacey promised and then leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.  


“Show me,” she whispered. “Make love to me.”  


And that’s exactly what Pacey did. He spent the night showing his wife just how much he loved and adored her. He solidified the vows he made to her all those years ago. Joey lost herself in his touch and knew, without words, just how much he truly did love her. She only hoped that he knew she loved him just as much.  



	5. Chapter 5

Joey heard a giggle and wondered where it was coming from. She was in a weird state of half asleep and half awake. Her body was demanding sleep but her brain was telling her to wake up. She heard the giggle again and then felt something poke her nose. Joey scrunched her nose and swatted the tickling sensation away. That only caused the giggle to get louder and she was so incredibly confused. She felt the poke again but this time on her cheek, so she slowly opened her eyes. A pair of bright blue eyes were staring back at her and a tiny nose was pressed up against hers.   


“Hi momma!” Hattie smiled. She crawled up Joey’s body and sat on her stomach, her little hands resting on Joey’s shoulders for balance.   


“Well hello there,” Joey smiled. She ran her fingers through Hattie’s messy curls and watched as her daughter snuggled up to her chest, resting her cheek right on her heart. “Did you just wake up?”   


“Yeah,” the sleepy toddler mumbled. She traced her little finger around her mom’s arm and yawned. “Daddy help.”   


“Daddy helped you wake up?” Joey asked. She noticed the spot next to her in the bed was empty and figured Pacey was making breakfast. It was rare that he woke up before she did but she couldn’t deny that a home cooked breakfast sounded perfect. Being married to a chef definitely had its perks and she would never deny them.   


“Yeah,” she nodded. “We cook.”   


“You cooked, huh?”   


“Someone is terrible at surprises,” Pacey’s amused voice interrupted the quiet moment between mother and daughter. Joey looked over at the door and saw Pacey walking through, carrying a tray of food in his hands. She felt her heart flutter and a warmth fill her body at the sight.   


“Daddy!” Hattie jumped off Joey and the sudden impact caused her to groan. Joey sat up in the bed and adjusted the pillows behind her back, resting her back against them. Hattie crawled over to Pacey’s side of the bed and sat with her legs crossed underneath her.   


“It seems like someone abandoned their responsibility of helping daddy,” Pacey shot his daughter a teasing glare and she scrunched her nose at him.   


“Well she is your daughter,” Joey smirked. “Running so that she’s ready for the food is exactly something you would do.”   


“I resent that, Potter.”   


“How many times do I have to remind you that I’m Witter now?” Joey shook her head in amusement.   


“You’ll always be Potter to me,” Pacey pressed a kiss to her forehead and she blushed. Seven years later, and Pacey still filled her with butterflies like he did on the side of the road that cold day when he kissed her.   


“I already married you, Pace. You don’t have to sweet talk me anymore,” she stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes.   


“My forever skeptic,” he sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray in the middle of the bed.   


“So, what did you make?”   


“Me!” Hattie held up her hand. “I cook.”   


“You did, did you?” Joey brushed her finger across her daughter’s cheek. “And what did you cook, my sweet girl?”   


“Cakes!”   


“As our little chef in the making is trying to say,” Pacey tweaked the toddler’s nose and she giggled. “We made blueberry pancakes with bacon and fruit. Hattie insisted on making your favorite.”   


“You did, huh?” Joey smiled wide.   


“Yeah momma!” Hattie nodded and crawled over towards her mom. She lifted herself up onto her knees and pressed a sloppy kiss on Joey’s cheek. Pacey and Joey shared a smile, both overwhelmed by their love for their daughter. Hattie, clearly not interested in their sweet moment, interrupted them. “Food!”   


“Food, what?” Joey raised an eyebrow.   


“Food, pwease.” Hattie said. Joey nodded with a smile and then turned to Pacey. The two were working on manners and making sure that Hattie always said please and thank you. They wanted to make sure that she grew up to be polite and showed respect.   


“Sit back,” Pacey pointed towards his pillows at the top of the bed. Joey set them up so she could rest her back against them and then had her scoot back. She crossed her legs underneath her and then Pacey set up a plate right in front of her.   


“Thanks daddy,” Hattie picked up a piece of torn up pancake with her fork and stuffed it into her mouth.   


“Was she already awake when you woke up?” Joey asked. She accepted the plate that he handed her and took a sip of coffee from the mug he handed her.   


“I thought I heard a noise when I got up to go to the bathroom,” he explained. “When I went into her room to check on her, she was sitting up and playing with her teddy bear.”   


“She was just sitting there?” Joey asked. She looked over at Hattie and saw her happily stuffing her face with food. “Slow down, Hattie. You’re going to give yourself a stomach ache.”   


“Otay,” she mumbled through a mouthful of food. Joey shook her head and Pacey chuckled.   


“Your daughter,” she mumbled and he smirked.   


“I can think of a few occasions where you looked very similar to her when eating,” he laughed. “Most of them while you were pregnant with her.”   


“Watch it, Witter.”   


“And to answer your previous question,” he said. “Yes. She was just sitting there. No tears, no whining. She was just happily playing away.”   


“The one time we could’ve had mommy and daddy alone time, and you wake up early.” Joey raised an eyebrow, biting her lower lip, and he resisted the urge to groan at the look in her eyes.   


“Last night wasn’t enough for you?”   


“It will never be enough for me,” she peeked her tongue out at him and he pursed his lips.   


“You’re killing me, Jo.”   


“I’m just saying,” she popped a strawberry into her mouth and chewed slowly. Pacey licked his lips and watched the way her mouth moved as she chewed. He then remembered that Hattie was sitting in the bed with them and forced down his desire.   


“Her pull-up was dry when she woke up,” Pacey said.   


“Was your pull-up dry, baby?” Joey looked at her daughter in excitement. Hattie smiled, blueberries and assorted fruits smeared all over her face.   


“Yeah!” Hattie nodded. “I a big girl!”   


“Yes you are,” she nodded.   


Joey then frowned because her baby was getting so big and she missed her little baby. Pacey noticed the look on her face, feeling very similar to her, and squeezed her calf. She looked over at him and they shared a bittersweet smile. They loved watching Hattie grow up and become her own person. They adored her personality and loved seeing the traits that she adapted from the both of them. Hattie was everything to the two of them and they loved that she could talk to them. But they missed their little baby. The blue eyed, chubby cheeked newborn that took their breaths way the moment they saw her. The tiny baby girl that filled them with a new kind of love that they didn’t know was possible.   


Joey watched as her husband wiped some of the food off Hattie’s face. He was so attentive with her and so gentle. It was clear to anyone that looked at the two of them, just how much he loved her. She knew that he wanted more. She knew that he wanted at least one other baby. They had always talked about it and decided that it would happen when they were ready. As she watched him press a kiss to Hattie’s little cheek, Joey couldn’t help but wonder if now was the right time. Was it time for them to have another baby?   


  


  


“So,” Jen took a sip of her coffee and then blushed slightly. Joey pulled her eyes away from their daughters, who were currently chasing each other around Jen’s backyard. “Matt asked me out again.”   


“He did?” Joey smiled wide and fully turned her body to face Jen. “When?”   


“He wants to have dinner tonight,” she said. “He called this morning and said he knows it’s last minute but was hoping I was free.”   


“What did you say?”   


“That I unfortunately couldn’t because I don’t have someone to watch Amy,” Jen said. “Grams is having dinner with Gail tonight and I don’t want her to have to cancel.”   


“And are Pacey and I suddenly incapable of watching Amy?” Joey raised an eyebrow.   


“Well I wasn’t just about to drop it on you two at the last minute,” she said. “I don’t know what the two of you have planned.”   


“Jen,” she shot her a look. “You can always call us at the last minute. You know that. Is this you trying to sabotage happiness?”   


“No!” The blonde gasped but then winced when she saw the raised eyebrow. She sometimes hated just how well Joey knew her. “I’m trying not to. It just feels too good to be true, you know?”   


“But you’re smiling, Jen. You are smiling so much more than I have seen in the last year,” she reached over and squeezed her hand. “Don’t you want to be happy? Don’t you want to see if Matt is the person that you can build a life with?”   


“I just don’t want to get hurt,” she whispered and tucked a piece of blonde hair behind her ear. Joey’s face softened and she scooted closer to her best friend.   


“Nobody wants to get hurt,” she wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “But sometimes the best things in life are worth the risk. If I hadn’t taken a risk all those years ago and jumped on a sailboat, then who knows where I’d be right now?”   


“So I should jump on a sailboat with Matt and sail away?” Jen teased and nudged her.   


“I think Pace will let you borrow his boat for a day or two,” she nudged her back. “But seriously, Jen. Do you like him?”   


“I do,” she nodded. “I honestly do.”   


“Then I think you owe it to yourself and your heart to see what could come of it,” Joey said. She looked at the toddlers, who were happily playing with each other. “And to Amy.”   


“You’re right,” Jen nodded. A bright smile filled her face as she thought about Matt and Joey immediately noticed this. It was so clear how smitten her friend was.   


“Then call Matt to accept his invitation,” she said.   


“I will,” she nodded. Joey shot her an impatient look.   


“Now, blondie!” Joey pointed inside the house.   


“So bossy,” the blonde mumbled and then rushed inside the house before Joey could scold her.   


The brunette smirked and then leaned back in her chair, watching her baby and goddaughter run around. The smile slipped off her face when she saw Dawson walking out the door of his house. He noticed her almost instantly, and froze in his tracks. He seemed to be debating what to do and how to handle the situation. She watched as he slowly headed in her direction and closed her eyes. This was the last thing Joey wanted to deal with right now. She lifted herself off the chair and rested her hip against the railing.   


“Hey,” Dawson said.   


“Hi,” Joey said. The two stood there, awkwardly and silent, both of them watching the toddlers.   


“I don’t think I’ve said this but she’s beautiful, Joey. She really is,” he said. Joey smiled and nodded her head in appreciation.   


“Thank you.”   


“She looks like Pacey,” his words sounded pained and like he wanted to say anything else but that.   


“She acts like him too,” she said.   


“So she’s going to build her own sailboat one day and set off to Florida?” Dawson asked. Joey pursed her lips and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.   


“I wouldn’t go that far,” she said. “I think Pacey would have a heart attack if she spent an entire summer on a sailboat with a guy.”   


“Even if the guy ended up being her husband?”   


“Even if,” she nodded. Joey wasn’t sure what Dawson was doing but she didn’t want to fall into past patterns with him. She noticed him look at his watch and then sigh.   


“I have to head out,” Dawson said. He seemed to be debating something with himself and knew he probably wanted to ask her something personal. Her suspicions were confirmed when he said, “I was hoping to ask you one thing before I left though.”   


“What’s that?” Joey asked. She watched as his eyes fluttered down to her wedding rings, lingering there for a moment, and then lifted to her face. She saw numerous different emotions flash across his face but pain was the most prominent. Maybe it made her a horrible person, but she had no sympathy for his pain. He had done this all to himself.   


“Are you happy?”   


“Dawson,” she sighed and rubbed a finger over her brow. How could he look at her and not see just how happy she was? It was clear as day and she had a smile that always seemed to spread for miles.   


“Just,” he shrugged. “Are you?”   


“Yes Dawson,” Joey looked him straight in the eyes and willed him to finally believe the words coming out of her mouth. “I am happier than I have ever been in my life. Pacey makes me happy.”   


“Okay,” he nodded and broke their eye contact. He cleared his throat and ran his hand over his tired face. “I’ll see you, Joey.”   


“Yeah, see you.”   


Joey watched him walk away. His shoulders were slouched over and his feet were dragging with each step he took. She wanted to feel some kind of compassion for him but then she remembered what he said to Pacey. She remembered the cruel and disgusting words he attacked her husband with and all she felt was bitterness towards her former best friend. She honestly wasn’t sure if she would ever forgive him for what he did. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. Any person that could hurt the man she loved the way he did was not someone she wanted in her life. It was not someone she needed in her life.   


“And the date is set!” Jen was practically skipping when she came out the front door. Joey shook away her thoughts about Dawson and focused on Jen. “We are going to see a movie and then have dinner. Such a high school date but I don’t care! He even told me that I could pick the movie. I have never had a guy let me pick the movie before.”   


“Well he sounds like a good one,” she smiled.   


“He really is,” Jen was practically bouncing in her spot and Joey fought back the giggle threatening to escape her. Her best friend looked like a little ball of sunshine and Joey really hoped that she stayed this way. She hoped that she continued to be this happy.   


“You know, that’s what Pace and I did for our first date,” Joey smiled. It had been their first date when they were sneaking around but it was still so important to her. She remembered going home that night and smiling like a crazy person until she fell asleep.   


“And I bet the two of you made out the entire movie,” the blonde shot her a knowing look. She remembered how the two of them could barely keep their hands off each other in high school. She chuckled to herself because who was she kidding, they still couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Joey blushed and bit her lip, remembered their first date like it was just yesterday.   


“Not the whole time.”   


“Just eight percent of the movie, right?”   


“More like ninety,” she smirked.   


“I admire you a little more every day,” Jen bumped her hip and the two shared a laugh.   


  


  


“Hey Pace,” Jack walked into Pacey’s office and immediately dropped onto the couch in the corner of the office. Pacey looked up from the schedule he was making and raised an eyebrow as he watched his best friend hang his legs over the edge of the couch.   


“Uh, hi?”   


“Don’t pretend you aren’t excited to see me,” he propped his head on the arm of the couch and adjusted himself until he was comfortable.   


“Are you comfortable?” Pacey asked, his voice laced with amusement.   


“This couch leaves a lot to be desired,” he said but nodded. “But it’s mostly comfortable. How does Hattie nap on this thing?”   


“She doesn’t,” Pacey said. “Hattie rarely ever comes to the restaurant during business hours and if she does, then she skips her nap.”   


“Skips her nap?” Jack repeated. “She’s going to regret that when she’s older. I would give anything to just be able to nap whenever I wanted.”   


“You and me both.”   


“So,” Jack watched him tap his pencil against the desk and focus on the paper in front of him. “How are you?”   


“I’m fine,” he shrugged. “Busy. It feels like half of my staff is off next week and I don’t even remember approving half these days off.”   


“Being the boss sounds terrible,” Jack said and then smirked. “By the way, your hostess totally has a crush on you.”   


“Elizabeth?” Pacey looked up at him and furrowed his brows. “No she doesn’t.”   


“Yes she does,” he laughed. “I said your name and she turned into a blushing mess.”   


“She blushes over everything,” Pacey said. “She gets very easily flustered.   


“And the name Pacey just triggers her even more?”   


“You’ve been around your high school students too long,” Pacey rolled his eyes. “You’re making up high school scenarios in your head.”   


“Whatever,” he glared at him. “I know what I saw.”   


“I’m sure you did,” he laughed.   


“So, Dawson called me last night.”   


“About?” Pacey asked.   


“He wants me to come to the set of his movie,” Jack sat up. “He was hoping that I would give my opinion on a scene he’s filming.”   


“What scene?”   


“He didn’t say,” he shook his head. “Maybe it’s the scene where he punches me.”   


“Because I’m sure you have a totally unbiased opinion on that scene,” Pacey snorted. Jack laughed and then shrugged.   


“Whatever it is, I don’t have an interest in it. I wish he’d just leave the past where it belongs.”   


“You and me both, Jackers.”   


“So,” Jack decided to change the subject. “Have you talked to Andie recently?”   


“She and Jo talked the other day. She said that she and Will were going to be in town for Christmas.”   


“So, she didn’t tell you?”   


“Tell me what?” Pacey furrowed his brows. “Is she okay? She said that she and Will were really happy.”   


“Crap,” Jack winced. “Me and my big mouth.”   


“Well your big mouth better start talking,” he raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.   


“She and Will are maybe, sort of, kind of, getting married?”   


“Maybe, sort of, kind of? Or definitely?” Pacey asked, a laugh escaping him.   


“Definitely,” he said with a smile. “He asked her last week and she said yes. I also think she wants this to be a super long engagement.”   


“That sounds very much like Andie,” he laughed.   


A wave of happiness washed through him for her. Andie meant a great deal to him, she always would. She believed in him during a time when it felt like no one else did and helped him get himself on the right path educationally. He was so happy that his old friend made her so happy and loved her the way she deserved to be loved. He remember how surprised he had been when the two reunited when they were both living in Boston. They had both been out celebrating twenty-first Pacey’s birthday, and sparks flew between them almost instantly. From that moment on, the two embarked on a romance and never looked back. Pacey knew that Andie McPhee and Will Krudski would have an incredibly happy life together.   


“Just pretend to be surprised when she tells you,” Jack insisted. "I'm sure she wants to tell everyone together at Christmas."   


“I will,” he laughed. “I promise I will.”   


“So,” Jack clapped his hands together and smiled. “How about a burger?”   


“You better get cooking,” Pacey smirked and looked back down at the paper in front of him. He could feel him glare at him and laughed. “Alright, let’s go. Someone better make sure you eat. We all know how grumpy you get when you’re hungry.”   


“I do not!” Jack protested but stood up anyway. Pacey just raised an eyebrow in return and walked out of the office with him.   


  


  


“When did we have a second child?” Pacey walked into the kitchen later that night. Joey was leaning over the stove and mixing something. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “And a blonde child at that. Last I checked, neither of us were blonde.”   


“I didn’t tell you?” Joey asked. “Hmm. Must have slipped my mind.”   


“You did a great job at hiding the pregnancy and birth,” he pressed a kiss to her neck and she sighed softly.   


“Jen went out with Matt and I offered to watch Amy for her,” she explained.   


“Another date?” Pacey stepped back and walked towards the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water and then turned to face her, unscrewing the lid as he did.   


“Yup,” Joey nodded and then lowered the heat on the stove. “She was going to say no because Grams couldn’t watch Amy but I immediately offered us to watch her.”   


“Is she staying here tonight?”   


“No,” she shook her head. “You know Jen. She hates spending the night away from Amy. Don’t you remember the first time she left her for the night?”   


“When she cried for like forty-five minutes and Grams ignored her calls so she would enjoy her night out?” Pacey smirked.   


“You weren’t much better when you left Hattie for the first time,” Joey poked his chest and he rolled his eyes.   


“I did not cry!” He protested but they both knew it was a lie. “The pollen was horrible that day and my eyes just could not adjust.”   


“The pollen that you were suddenly allergic to?” Joey bit her lip and chuckled. “That’s so crazy, I don’t ever remember you being allergic to pollen.”   


“Well you learn something new every day, sweetheart.” He tweaked her nose and then moved towards the stove. “What are you making?”   


“Mac and cheese,” she said.   


“Ah yes,” he scooped some of the cheese sauce onto his finger and tasted it. “One of the only things that Josephine Potter is capable of making.”   


“I resent that!” Joey glared at him and placed her hands on her hips. “I can make other things.”   


“Cereal doesn’t count, Jo.” Pacey raised an amused eyebrow.   


“Are you trying to get yourself banished to the couch tonight?” Joey narrowed her eyes. “Because you are doing an incredible job at convincing me that you should sleep there.”   


“Aww come on, sweetheart. You know that you can’t sleep without me,” he rested his hands on her hips and tugged her closer to him.   


“I’m more than willing to test out this theory,” she poked his stomach and scrunched her nose. Joey knew that she would end up on the couch with him if he ever did get kicked to the couch, but he certainly didn’t need to know that.   


“Hmm let’s not,” he nuzzled his face into her cheek and then pressed a kiss to her jaw. “I promise to behave myself.”   


“Well that was easy,” she giggled when he nipped on her neck and clutched the front of his shirt.   


“That’s me. Mr. Easy,” he caught her earlobe between his teeth and tugged gently. “And I’m more than willing to show you just how easy tonight.”   


“Let’s see how you handle two toddlers first,” she said. Joey closed her eyes and could feel herself getting lost in the sensations that Pacey’s lips were creating on her skin. Warmth and desire coursed through her body.   


“Hmm,” he murmured as his lips continued to move across her soft neck. She knew just how easily the two could get carried away with lust but couldn’t find it within her to stop him. Her head fell backwards as his lips moved to her neck and her knees trembled when she felt his tongue on her skin. Pacey tightened his grip on her, holding her in place.   


“Daddy!” “Pay!” Hattie and Amy’s voice caused the two to jump apart like teenagers, seconds before they appeared in the kitchen. Joey ran her fingers through her hair, clearly flustered. Pacey tried to shake away the lust from his mind and focus on the toddlers that were currently attached to his legs.   


“Hello little ones,” Pacey crouched down. Hattie threw her arms around his neck and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek. Amy smiled wide at him and he ruffled her blonde curls. “What are you two troublemakers up to?”   


“Blocks!” Hattie said. “Build boat.”   


“You’re building a boat?” Pacey widened his eyes.   


“Yeah!” Amy nodded enthusiastically.   


“Big boat!” Hattie opened her arms wide to demonstrate what she meant.   


Joey watched Pacey interact with Hattie and Amy. He listened to them and enthusiastically responded when it was necessary. It was clear how much the two of them adored him and she knew the feeling was entirely mutual. She leaned her hip against the counter and wondered how best to approach the topic of adding to their family. She wasn’t sure when the best time would be but it was never too early to start planning. It was never too soon to start thinking about it. He scooped the two toddlers into his arms and stood up with them.   


“I’m going to go play with the two of them for a little while. Keep them distracted so they don’t bother you while you finish dinner,” he said. Joey smiled gratefully and was reminded for the hundredth time why he was the perfect husband.   


“Thank you,” she nodded.   


“Call if you need any help,” Pacey said. She just nodded in return and watched as he carried them out of the room. Joey heard their giggles whenever Pacey would make a sound like an airplane. She smiled to herself as she turned back towards the stove. She loved that man so much, she loved that man so damn much.   


  


  


“Hello?” Jen peeked her head into the living room and smiled softly at the sight in front of her. Pacey was asleep on the couch, with Hattie on one side and Amy on the other side. His arms were wrapped protectively around the two of them. Both of their heads were resting on his sides and all three of them were sound asleep. Joey looked up from the manuscript that she was attempting to read and edit and smiled at her best friend.   


“Hey,” she whispered. Joey tossed the manuscript onto the coffee table, slid her glasses into her hair, and slowly stood up from the chair. She nodded her head in the direction of the kitchen and the two quietly made their way into there.   


“Pace looks like a human pillow,” Jen chuckled.   


“Well I can say from experience that he is super cuddly,” Joey laughed. She sat down at the table with her and eagerly smiled.   


“How was she?”   


“She was perfect.”   


“Amy was perfect?” Jen raised an amused eyebrow. “My sassy and stubborn two year old?”   


“She had fun. They played with blocks and dolls, ate mac and cheese, and then watched a movie with Pace before all three of them fell asleep.” Joey explained.   


“Well thank you again for watching her.”   


“So? How was it?” Joey asked.   


“So good,” Jen smiled sheepishly. “I like him, Joey. He’s so funny and so sweet. I have no problem talking to him and he actually sounds interested in what I’m saying.”   


“You have such a happy glow to you,” Joey said. Her heart was so happy seeing her friend so happy. She really hoped that this thing with Matt worked out for the best. She had a good feeling about him, about them.   


“He kissed me,” Jen admitted. “He walked me up to the door and smiled at me. It looked like he was making sure I was okay with it, so I smiled. Then he leaned in to kiss me and I swear, Joey, it was unlike any other kiss I’ve ever experienced. There was a spark that I don’t want to ever leave me.”   


“Never deny the sparks,” Joey smiled. She knew this feeling all too well, it was a feeling she experienced every time Pacey kissed her. The feeling of being totally and completely alive. “Well I guess that answers my question about seeing him again.”   


“We definitely are,” she nodded. “We are going for coffee tomorrow morning.”   


“Look at you, girl. Can’t even spend twenty-four hours away from him,” Joey teased her. Jen blushed and flicked her hand. “I better meet him soon!”   


“You will,” Jen nodded. “I definitely want you all to meet him. Even though Pacey already beat you all to it, including me.”   


“Damn Witter,” Joey smirked and playfully rolled her eyes. “You do know that if this all works out in the end, he’s going to take all the credit right?”   


“Oh absolutely,” Jen laughed. She noticed the time on her watch and smiled. “I should get Amy home.”   


“I can guarantee you that she is going to sleep well tonight,” Joey stood up and followed her into the living room. Jen carefully untangled Amy from Pacey’s grasp and gently lifted her into her arms. The two year old stirred but snuggled into her mom’s arms and continued to sleep away. Pacey, on the other hand, opened his eyes and used his free hand to rub them.   


“Huh,” he mumbled sleepily and then yawned. He went to sit up but felt the weight of his sleeping daughter on his side and decided to stay put. “How was the date, Lindley?”   


“Good,” she smiled. “It was really good.”   


“Oh he totally kissed you,” Pacey smirked. Jen blushed and shuffled on her feet.   


“How in the world did you know that?”   


“I’m me,” he shrugged. “I know all.”   


“And on that note,” Jen rolled her eyes. She nudged Pacey’s foot with her own and smiled at him. “Good night, Pace.”   


“Night, Lindley.”   


“I’ll walk you out,” Joey walked with Jen and a sleeping Amy to the door. She quietly opened it for her and then smiled at her. “Enjoy your date tomorrow morning.”   


“I will,” she smiled and then shifted Amy’s weight so she was more comfortable. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”   


“Drive safe,” Joey gently hugged her and pressed a kiss to Amy’s forehead.   


Jen waved at the brunette before turning and walking towards her car. Joey watched to make sure they safely made it into the car and then waved when they drove away. She closed the front door and locked up for the night, flicking off the lights for the porch. She made her way through the house, flicking off all the unnecessary lights. When Joey made it back to the living room, she was surprised to find it empty. Turning off the lights, Joey headed up the stairs and made her way towards Hattie’s room.   


Her heart skipped a beat when she stepped into the room. Pacey was kneeling down next to her bed and slowly pulling her sailboat blanket over her body. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then brushed some stray curls off her forehead. He traced his thumb across her small forehead and just watched her sleep. He had a faint smile on his face and she heard him whisper the words _I love you, my baby girl_ before he pressed another kiss to her forehead. Joey pressed her hand to her chest and felt tears prick her eyes at his sweet words.   


Pacey must have heard her sniffle, because he suddenly turned around to face her. His eyes were soft and there was a look of pure love in them. Joey watched as he slowly stood up and she walked to meet him halfway. His arm immediately wrapped around her shoulder and she snuggled herself into his side, his lips pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. They gazed into each other’s eyes, conveying all the love they felt for each other with a single look. Joey stepped towards Hattie and pressed a kiss to her forehead and then one to her cheek, brushing a gentle finger down her nose before whispering her own words of love to her sleeping daughter. She felt Pacey’s hand on her back and slowly stood up, walking out of the room with him.   


“So?” Joey asked once the door walked into their bedroom. “On a scale of one to ten, how tired are you from two toddlers?”   


“Is ten the highest I can go?” Pacey dropped down onto the bed, not even caring that he was still fully dressed.   


“Well it’s a good thing I didn’t have twins then,” she smirked. Joey walked over to the dresser to grab her pajamas and blushed as she felt Pacey’s eyes on her the entire time she changed.   


“Can you imagine?” Pacey let out a long yawn and stretched his arms up, cracking his back in the process.   


“You better get up and brush your teeth before you get too comfortable, mister.”   


“Bring me my tooth brush,” he said. “I’ll just brush them out here.”   


“And where do you intend to spit?” She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.   


“Well you obviously have to bring the garbage can too,” he dramatically rolled his eyes.   


“Obviously,” she rolled her eyes in return. Joey walked over towards him and tugged on his hand, causing him to groan. He tried to maintain his spot on the bed but she only tugged harder. Eventually his body gave and he stumbled out of the bed.   


“Jo!”   


“Come on, Pace. We can be all cute and domestic and brush our teeth together,” she pulled him with her towards the bathroom. “It will be so adorable.”   


“Aren’t we always cute and domestic and adorable?” Pacey wrapped his arms around her waist as he followed her into the bathroom.   


“Well one of us is,” she said and then turned to face him, sticking her tongue out at him. “And the other one is you.”   


“You’re so funny,” he tickled her sides and she shrieked.   


“Pacey!” Joey laughed as his fingers continued their assault on her sensitive sides. He eventually relented his tickling and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her to the bathroom. She giggled and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “This feels a lot like our wedding night.”   


“I don’t recall carrying you into the bathroom,” he kissed her cheek and then placed her feet on the ground in front of the sink.   


“You know what I mean,” she shot him a look and accepted the toothbrush that he handed her.   


“Do you want to be extra adorable and have me squirt the toothpaste onto the brush for you?”   


“My offer for you to sleep on the couch still stands,” she glared at him. He squirt the toothpaste on her brush anyway and she fought back the grin.   


“You love me too much to follow through,” he lifted the brush and started to brush his teeth.   


“Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetheart.” Joey kinked an eyebrow at him and lifted the toothbrush to her mouth.   


For the next few minutes, the two made quick work of brushing their teeth. Their eyes would meet in the mirror and little smiles filled their faces. Pacey would make ridiculous faces at her, which caused her to laugh and almost choke on the toothpaste. Joey would twirl her hair around her finger and bat her eyes at him, which caused him to groan and narrow his eyes at her. Joey finished brushing her teeth first and then brushed her fingers across his back as she headed towards the bedroom. He quickly finished up in the bathroom and chased after her, scooping her up and dropping the two of them onto the mattress. They fell together and laughed as they got all tangled up in the blankets.   


“That was smooth,” Joey wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him close to her body.   


“Smooth is my middle name,” Pacey wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled them so they were both on their sides, facing each other.   


“I thought it was John,” she teased.   


“We really need to work on your sense of humor, sweetheart. It’s slacking,” he pressed a kiss to her nose.   


“And here I was under the impression that you wanted to have some fun tonight,” Joey kinked an eyebrow and started to roll away from him. Pacey tightened his grip on her hip and pulled her closer to his body.   


“Did I mention how much I love you?” Pacey nuzzled his face into her neck and started to press kisses along her neck to her jaw. “Because Josephine Potter, I sure do love you.”   


“Stop being so charming!” Joey protested and then moaned when she felt his lips find that sweet spot on her neck. The spot that always triggered a reaction out of her.   


“It’s the truth,” he mumbled into her soft skin. Pacey pulled back and looked into the brown eyes he loved so much. The brown eyes that always made him feel so safe and so loved. The brown eyes that he has loved since he was seventeen.   


“Well that’s good because I love you so much,” she brushed her nose along his and pressed her forehead against his. She looked into his eyes and could see the love she felt for him reflecting back at her. Something about the moment, and the way his arms were holding her close made her want to express what was on her mind. “Hey Pace?”   


“Yes?”   


“Can I ask you something?” Joey asked, her voice and eyes softening. Pacey tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and traced his thumb along her cheekbone.   


“You can ask me anything, Jo. You know that.”   


“We always said one day and that we would know when the moment was right,” she said and saw him furrow his brows. Joey lifted her hand and brushed her thumb across his eyebrow. “I was just thinking. Maybe right now is the right moment.”   


“The right moment, for what?”   


“I was thinking,” she took a deep breath and looked deep into his eyes. Pacey was looking back at her, his eyes full of question but love. “What would you say to us trying to have another baby?”   



	6. Chapter 6

Pacey pulled back from Joey slightly, his hand still resting on her hip, and widened his eyes slightly in obvious surprise. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting her to ask but that certainly wasn’t it. Another baby? Joey wanted to try for another baby? He certainly wasn’t opposed to having another baby with Joey. How in the world could he be? Their first one turned out so perfect and brought the two of them more joy than he ever thought possible.   


He must have waited too long to respond, because Joey started to move away from him. Her face a picture of clear disappointment that made his heart clench. He never wanted to be the one to put that disappointed look on her face. He had seen that look far too many times in the past, and he had vowed to never let it grace her beautiful face again.   


“Jo,” he went to move towards her but she kept scooting backwards.   


“It’s okay,” she shook her head. He could see that she was struggling to hold back tears and that made his stomach twist uncomfortably. “I just thought-“   


“You didn’t even give me a chance to say anything, Jo.”   


“You got quiet,” she whispered.   


“You took me by surprise,” he said. Pacey moved closer to her body and rested his hand on her hip again. He held her in place when she tried to move away and tried to get her to look into his eyes. “Jo, look at me.”   


She chewed on her bottom lip, seemingly torn over what she wanted to do. She finally lifted her eyes, and met his blue ones. “Pace,” she mumbled.   


“Now let’s talk,” he said. “You want another baby?”   


“Do you?”   


“Jo,” he narrowed his eyes at her. She sighed, rubbed her finger over her brow, and then nodded.   


“I’ve definitely been thinking about it more and more lately,” she admitted. “I look at Hattie, and I look at our life, and I think it feels right. The timing feels right. The restaurant is doing well. I’ve been getting more responsibility at the publishing company and am fortunate enough to do it from here. Hattie is almost fully potty trained.”   


“You have definitely given this a lot of thought,” he smiled softly and chuckled. He knew she would never just make a decision like this without completely thinking it through. That was not in her nature, at all.   


“It’s obviously not something that would happen as soon as we start trying,” she said. “I have to stop taking my birth control and we have so much to plan-“   


“Okay, okay,” Pacey cupped her cheek with his hand and pressed his thumb to her lips. “You are doing that rambling thing you always do when you’re nervous.”   


“Sorry,” she winced and pressed a kiss to his thumb. “Maybe it would be for the best if you expressed what you were thinking.”   


“Well,” he took a deep breath, contemplating his words, and then smiled. “You know how I feel about having more kids. I’ve always wanted at least two of them. We always said we wanted another when Hattie was old enough to kind of have an idea about what was going on.”   


“She seems old enough, right?”   


“I’d say so,” he nodded. “By the time we had a new baby, she’d be three.”   


“Three years feels like a good age difference,” Joey said. She bit down on her bottom lip and recognized that look in his eyes. The look of possibility and happiness of what could be.   


“There’s no denying that we make beautiful babies,” he smirked and she shook her head in amusement.   


“There is definitely no denying that.”   


“I do enjoy the process of making babies,” he pressed his lips to her jaw and she blushed. His fingers slid underneath her shirt and his lips moved down to her jaw.   


“I knew you would say something like that,” she closed her eyes as she started to feel herself get lost in the pleasure his touch was creating.   


“I’m nothing if not predictable,” he nipped on her neck and she giggled.   


“So?” Joey pulled back before she could get lost in her desire.   


“So,” he flipped her over onto her back and moved on top of her. “I say we get started working on the baby right now.”   


“I’m still on birth control, Pace.”   


“Well, you know what they say, sweetheart. Practice makes perfect.”   


Joey was about to respond but he silenced her with a kiss. As clothes were quickly shed and hands began to roam, she was overcome with a sense of excitement. She was excited for this next chapter in their life. She was excited to start this next journey with Pacey. As his hands and lips moved over her, she was once again reminded of one thing. Any journey with Pacey Witter was a journey that she wanted to take.   


  


  


Pacey sat at the kitchen table the next morning and took a sip of his coffee. He was completely exhausted from his late night with Joey and the early wake up to call. Joey had to head to New York that morning for meetings at her publishing company. She was usually able to work from home, but every couple of weeks or so, she had to head in to meet with authors to discuss the manuscripts she read. Usually on those days, Pacey took the day off work so that he could watch Hattie. She was too energetic to have at the restaurant and he knew he would never be able to get any work done with her there.   


He looked at his watch and knew that Hattie was going to be waking up any minute now. He would’ve loved to just roll back over and sleep after Joey left to catch her train, but with a two and a half year old, that was not likely. He decided to get himself caffeinated before she woke up so that he was at least partially functioning when she called out for him. He finished the coffee in his mug and moved over to place the now empty cup in the sink. Just as Pacey was about to walk into the living room, he heard Hattie’s voice.   


“Momma!” Pacey smiled at her sleepy little voice and headed towards the staircase. He made it upstairs in record time and walked into her room. Hattie was sitting up in her bed, and rubbing her eyes with tiny little fists. Her hair was sticking out all over the place and she let out a huge yawn.   


“There’s my girl,” he walked closer to her bed with a smile. Hattie almost instantly held her arms out for him to pick her up, to which he immediately scooped her up into his arms, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Good mornin’, sweetheart.”   


“Mornin’ daddy,” she mumbled into his neck and wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders.   


“How’d you sleep?” Pacey rubbed her back as he carried her to the bathroom.   


“Good,” she said. “Where momma?”   


“Mommy had to go to work today,” he said. “You’re going to spend the day with me.”   


“Oh,” she said.   


“Oh?” Pacey repeated and tweaked her nose. Hattie giggled and swatted his hand away. “That better be an excited oh, little missy.”   


“Daddy,” she hugged him close and then pouted when he put her down. She held up her arms and wiggled her hands. “Up, daddy!”   


“You have to go potty first,” he pointed towards the toilet and crouched down next to her. She scowled at him and he smirked. It was moments like this when she looked just like Joey. Most of the time, she resembled him, but she definitely inherited a lot of Joey’s facial expressions. Something that Pacey found amusing and loved.   


“Done!” Hattie snapped him out of his trance and slid off the toilet.   


Pacey laughed at her self-reliance and stubbornness. She was always determined to do things on her own, not caring if she could or couldn’t. Once she was all set in her fresh pull up, her hands were washed and her teeth were brushed, Pacey followed her to her bedroom. He watched as she twirled around in a circle and then attempted to skip towards her room. He shook his head in amusement, and was honestly grateful that she didn’t fall. Hattie may be a lot of things, but graceful was not one of them. She tripped over the air more than random objects. He was constantly blaming Joey for her lack of coordination, but she quickly retorted that he wasn’t particularly smooth on his feet. To which she pointed out the bruised toes from all their dance lessons.   


“Daddy,” Hattie tugged on his hand and pulled him towards her dresser. “Dress.”   


“You want to wear a dress?” Pacey widened his eyes in surprise. They usually had to force Hattie into dresses for special occasions and she always made it her mission to get the dress as dirty as possible.   


“Yes,” she nodded and then tapped the dresser.   


“Your dresses are in the closet, Hat.”   


“Oh,” she rushed over towards the closet and struggled to open the door. She yanked with all her might but it wouldn’t open. Pacey laughed and walked over, opening the door for her. She pouted for a second but then ran into the closet. Hattie tried to reach the dresses but she was too short and her arms only stretched so far. “Daddy, help!”   


“Help?” Pacey lifted her up in his arms and let her look at the dresses at eyelevel. He watched her, as she looked at all the different dresses in front of her. There were way too many dresses for someone who never wore them, but Joey insisted that she needed them and he had never been able to say no to her. “So? Which one do you wanna wear?”   


“You,” Hattie pointed at the long sleeved blue and red Hawaiian dress.   


He looked down at the blue and red Hawaiian shirt that he was currently sporting and smirked. It was one of his only Hawaiian shirts that Joey didn’t wrinkle her nose at. She described it as tame and cute. The dress that Hattie was currently pointing to had been a joke gift from Jen when after she saw his shirt. She had seen it when she was shopping for Amy and immediately bought it for Hattie. Joey had scowled at her when she handed her the gift bag, insisting that no one encouraged this obsession with Hawaiian clothes to Hattie. Jen retorted that she shouldn’t have reproduced with Pacey if she didn’t want a child that would eventually love Hawaiian dresses.   


“Okay,” he grabbed the dress off the hanger and placed her back on the ground. Crouching down to her level, Pacey slid the dress over her head and down her tiny body. She smiled once the dress was on and he slid a pair of leggings on her, and then wiggled her feet at him, obviously needing a pair of shoes. He laughed and reached into the closet to grab her black boots, quickly sliding them onto her feet. He ran his fingers through her messy curls and raised an eyebrow. “What should I do with these curls?”   


“I don’t know,” Hattie shrugged. He laughed and reached over to the dresser to grab her hairbrush. Pacey carefully ran the brush through her hair, trying not to hurt her, and then gathered all of her hair at the top of her head in what he hoped looked like a cute messy bun. Once he had the ponytail wrapped around it, he spun her back around to face him and grimaced slightly. Little curls fell out of the elastic band and it was a little bumpy but she still looked so adorable. He figured it fit into the messy category of messy bun, or that’s at least what he told himself.   


“How about we go make you something for breakfast?” Pacey suggested.   


“Yum!” Hattie turned and ran out of the room.   


“Hattie, don’t run!” Pacey called after her but all he heard were her footsteps on the stairs. He held his breath and hoped that she didn’t fall, but then heard her jump off the last step. Something that Joey had to consistently tell her not to do. He shook his head and stood up, following in her footsteps.   


“Daddy!” Hattie called, her voice clearly coming from the kitchen. He could already picture her standing by the fridge, eagerly waiting for her morning juice. As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, that was exactly where he found her. “Juice, pwease.”   


“You got it,” he nodded as he moved to open the fridge. He grabbed the apple juice and then turned around to face his small daughter. “And how about daddy makes you waffles?”   


“Yummy!” Hattie’s entire face lit up and it made him smile. Seeing Hattie happy was one thing that Pacey would never get tired of. Her happiness meant the entire world to him.   


  


  


Joey smiled at the barista as she took the coffee cup from him. She knew that she should get something to eat but she was too jittery and it was probably from all the coffee she had already drank in order to stay awake today. After her late night with Pacey, a night that she would gladly partake in again, that six am alarm came way too early this morning. The only reason she had gotten out of the bed was because Pacey nudged her out so that the alarm would be quiet and he could sleep while she showered. Joey checked her watch and saw that she had less than twenty minutes until her next meeting.   


After graduating from Worthington and her unexpected pregnancy, Joey wasn’t sure what she was going to do with her English degree. She knew that she wanted to go into publishing but she also knew that it would be difficult to find a job while she was pregnant. Pacey had encouraged her to look anyway, and insisted that it would be their loss if they rejected her. After three different rejections, and countless amounts of tears, (something she liked to blame solely on her new pregnancy hormones), Joey finally got the answer she had been hoping for.   


A small publishing company in New York was looking for part time help. They needed someone on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to help with editing. Her college professors, Wilder and Hetson, had both written her letters of recommendation. She had been surprised when Hetson agreed, and even more surprised when she saw the positive words on her behalf. Joey remembered taking the train into the city on her first day. She was a bundle of nerves, excitement, and terror. Pacey had dropped her off at the station, with the promise to pick her up that night. He sent her off with a big kiss and words of encouragement that she carried around with her the entire time.   


At only three months pregnant, Joey set out on this new path, while Pacey built his dream restaurant in Capeside. Joey loved every second of editing and enjoyed most of the people she worked with. They had welcomed her to the company with open arms and helped her get her bearings. She quickly moved up the ladder, impressing her boss with her quick learning and thoughtful insights. By the time she was seven months pregnant, Joey was made a junior editor. With these new responsibilities came more flexibility for her. She had worked out with her boss a way for her to be able to work from home and only come in when she had to meet with prospective authors.   


In the end, Joey got her two dreams. She got to have a career doing something she loved and she got to have a family with the love of her life. Joey had never been happier with her life and always wanted it to stay this way.   


“Joey!” Grace, her coworker and closest friend at work, waved when she stepped back into the office. Joey made a beeline for her and then sat in the chair in front of her desk.  


“Hey.”   


“What time is your next meeting?” Grace asked, sipping on the coffee that Joey handed her.   


“Fifteen minutes,” she looked at her watch and realized that she had a few minutes to spare.   


“That’s plenty of time for you to tell me how your beautiful baby and handsome husband are,” she smiled. Joey shook her head in amusement. Grace always loved to call Pacey handsome or sexy, but she knew she never had to worry. Grace was so head over heels in love with her husband that not even Pacey Witter’s charm could get her to stray.   


“They are good,” Joey smiled softly, warmth filling her as she thought about her little family. “Pacey is home with her today, so I’m sure she’s going to be covered in dirt by the time I get home.”   


“And you are going to find the entire thing adorable because you can’t get enough of those two together,” Grace shot her a pointed look and Joey blushed.   


“Maybe so.”   


“Tommy and I were thinking about coming to Capeside for the day this weekend. He’s been wanting to go to Pacey’s restaurant since the last time he went,” she said and then rolled her eyes. “He essentially begged me last night to try and convince you to bring one of his burgers with you today for him.”   


“I would have,” Joey insisted.   


“Oh I know you would have,” she chuckled. “But he can be patient and wait to actually eat one there.”   


“I know Pace would love it if you two came in,” Joey said. She knew that he really would. The two had double dated with Grace and her husband a couple of times, and Pacey got along with her coworker’s husband really well.   


“Then I think we are just going to have to make the trip this weekend,” Grace smiled. “If it wasn’t like four degrees outside, I would say that we could go sailing.”   


“I’m pretty sure Pacey would still go sailing if he had the choice,” Joey chuckled, because she knew he absolutely would.   


“Oh so would Tommy,” Grace laughed. “I just don’t want to deal with him when he inevitably gets a cold. There is nothing worse than my husband with a cold. I swear he turns into a child.”   


“I’m sure it’s very similar to my dear husband,” Joey laughed. She looked down at her watch and then sighed. “And now I get to meet with Michael.”   


“Yikes,” Grace winced. “Did his manuscript get any better?”   


“Well, it took him three chapters this time to kill someone off. So I’d say that’s progress,” she rolled her eyes.   


“Someone must have really pissed him off in another life.”   


“Or he’s secretly a serial killer,” Joey teased.   


“Well if that’s the case and you’re next on his list then I will make sure Pacey is very well taken care of,” Grace smirked. Joey tossed a paperclip at her friend and laughed.   


“Wish me luck,” Joey stood up and smoothed out her dress.   


“Have fun,” Grace waved and Joey smiled at her before heading to the conference. Only a few more hours and then she could be back home with her favorite people.   


  


  


“Remember, Hattie, no running inside, okay?” Pacey looked at the two and a half year old perched on his hip. She nodded her head and then rested her head against his. “Daddy will be quick. I just need to do something real quick.”   


“Otay,” she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him close. Pacey opened the door to the restaurant and was surprised by the large crowd waiting to be seated. Elizabeth looked up from the hostess book she was writing in and waved at her boss.   


“I didn’t think you would be in today,” she said.   


“I’m not,” he chuckled. “Jen said there are some forms she needs me to sign. Is she in my office?”   


“She should be,” Elizabeth nodded. She looked at the toddler in her boss’s arms and smiled at just how adorable she was. “Hi Hattie.”   


“Hi,” Hattie mumbled and snuggled closer to Pacey. She buried her face into his neck and he rubbed her back.   


“Sorry,” he smiled apologetically at the hostess. “She gets really shy around people that she doesn’t know that well.”   


“That’s okay,” Elizabeth smiled. “My niece is like that. She is absolutely insane around family and friends, but the minute a stranger walks into the room, she is silent.”   


“You more or less just described Hattie,” he chuckled. Pacey noticed a few more guests walking up to the hostess stand. “I will leave you to it.”   


“See you later,” Elizabeth waved at him as he walked away before turning her attention towards the guests.   


Pacey walked through the main dining area. He was stopped by a few regulars for a quick hello, and they gushed over how adorable Hattie was. The two and a half year old quietly waved but kept her face mostly buried in his neck. He checked in with a few staff members and was satisfied that everything was running smoothly in his absence. Finally reaching his office door, Pacey pushed open the door and smirked at the sight in front of him. Jen was sitting at the desk and attempting to shoot the small basketball into the basket that was perched on the wall in front of her. The blonde was so determined, and he found the whole thing amusing.   


“Jen!” Hattie exclaimed and Jen threw the ball in surprise, completely missing the basket.   


“Nice shot, Lindley.” Pacey smirked. He put Hattie on the ground and watched as she instantly ran for the basketball. He closed the door to his office so that Hattie wouldn’t run out, and then sat in the chair in front of his desk. “It’s weird sitting on this side of the desk.”   


“I’m in charge now,” Jen clapped her hands and smiled wide.   


“I knew making you manager of this place would come back to bite me in the ass one day,” he rolled his eyes.   


“Best decision you ever made,” she stuck out her tongue at him.   


“I can think of two other decisions I’d put above that, but sure. Best decision I ever made,” he teased and it was her turn to roll her eyes. She then looked over at Hattie and narrowed her eyes, before looking back at Pacey.   


“Are you two matching?”   


“We absolutely are!” Pacey nodded before turning to his daughter. “Hat, come here for a second.”   


“Otay,” Hattie stood up and rushed over to him. He unzipped her jacket and pulled it off, before taking off his own jacket. He sat Hattie in his lap and then turned to face his friend. Jen was looking at the two of them, amusement written all over her face.   


“I can’t believe you’re actually matching,” she laughed. She took her cellphone out of her pocket and snapped a quick picture of them. “I have to send this to Jack. Since he’s away with Doug for the weekend and won’t get to witness this. He’ll love it.”   


“You bought the dress!”   


“Oh my,” Jen covered her mouth and continued to laugh.   


“Why should mothers be the only ones allowed to match with their daughters?” Pacey raised an eyebrow and Jen smirked. “If I want to match with my daughter, then I will match with my daughter!”   


“Pacey Witter, breaking all the stereotypes.”   


“And don’t you forget it, Lindley.” Pacey put Hattie back on the ground and watched her run towards the basketball again. “So, what did you need me to sign?”   


“A couple of order forms,” she grabbed the documents and handed them to him. “Also, Bridget and James broke up again.”   


“Again?” Pacey groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Over what this time?”   


“He’s apparently not taking their relationship seriously,” she rolled her eyes and watched him shake his head. “She wants all of her shifts to be scheduled on days that he’s not here.”   


“She’s joking, right?”   


“I wish she was,” she sighed. “She came to talk to me this morning about it.”   


“And what did you tell her?” Pacey asked. He and Jen had been dealing with this on again, off again relationship for the past six months. The two broke up and got back together faster than Pacey could blink. They were both seniors in high school and they sure acted like it.   


“That I would talk to you since you make the schedules but I wouldn’t hold my breath,” she explained. “She claims that he flirts with all the other females on staff to piss her off and she can’t watch it.”   


“Does he?”   


“He’s flirted with Elizabeth but she stays completely out of it.”   


“Smart,” Pacey signed his name on the form he just finished reading and then grabbed another one to read. “So, do we agree that they just need to deal with it and no schedules will be changed?”   


“We do,” she nodded. “There is no need to change up everyone else’s schedules because they are dramatic high school students.”   


“Were we this dramatic in high school?”   


“Well, not all of us rented a wall and painted the words ASK ME TO STAY on it,” she smirked.   


“That was not dramatic, that was adorable!” He insisted. “And if I recall, those words did their job.”   


“I don’t remember you staying,” she tapped her chin with her finger. “If I remember correctly, you and said recipient of message jumped on a boat and ran away together.”   


“And what an incredible summer that was,” he smiled as he remembered their summer at sea. He’d give anything to spend the day out at sea with Joey again. He suddenly missed her and wished that she wasn’t in another state.   


“Speak for yourself, Witter. Some of us had to deal with a miserable Dawson,” she mumbled.   


“Okay, so maybe we were a little dramatic,” he laughed.   


“Maybe just a little,” she agreed. “But look at us now. Babies, love, and jobs. We are such adults.”   


“The dreaded A word,” he shuttered and she chuckled. They watched as Hattie bounced the ball off the wall and then giggled when it fell into her lap. Maybe being adults wasn’t such a horrible thing. Especially if it meant watching their children be happy.   


  


  


“I’m home!” Joey walked into the house, later that night.   


“Kitchen!” Pacey called back.   


She was exhausted and starving. She was immediately hit with aromas of something cooking in the kitchen and her stomach grumbled. Kicking her shoes off by the front door, she followed the smells and stopped just outside of the kitchen. Pacey was standing in front of the stove, and Hattie was next to him on her little stool. He had her in front of the counter instead of the stove, but she looked happy just to be standing there.   


“Hey,” he turned around and smiled at her when he noticed her presence in the doorway.   


“Momma!” Hattie jumped off the stool and rushed over towards Joey. Joey scooped her up into her arms and pressed kisses and all over her face, hugging her daughter close.  


“I sure missed you,” she said before putting Hattie back on the ground, watching her immediately run back over to her stool. Joey took a step towards Pacey and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “What are you making?”   


“I don’t get an ‘I missed you’?” Pacey pouted.   


“I missed you, Pace.” Joey cupped his face in her hands and pressed a big kiss on his lips. He smirked when she pulled back and kissed her once more.   


“That’s more like it,” he nodded. She rolled her eyes and walked over towards the fridge to get a water bottle. “And for your information, I’m making spaghetti with meatballs. Hattie demanded it.”   


“She demanded your favorite food?” Joey raised an eyebrow. She knew that if Hattie was going to demand any food, it would be chicken nuggets. She would eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day, if they let her.   


“It was the craziest thing ever,” he nodded. “She ran up to me and said, daddy I want spaghetti with meatballs.”   


“Really?”   


“Really.”   


“Hattie,” Joey walked over to her daughter and crouched down in front of her. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Say spaghetti and meatballs for me.”   


“Petty and meballs,” she said. Joey kissed her forehead and then looked at her husband with a raised eyebrow.   


“You had to be there,” he shrugged and turned back towards the stove. “She’s clearly not ready to say it for you.”   


“Clearly,” she smirked and ran her hand down his back. Then she noticed the shirt he was wearing and the dress her daughter was wearing. “Pacey!”   


“What?” He spun around to face her, eyes wide in surprise by her exclamation.   


“Are you matching with our daughter?”   


“I am breaking the stereotypes, Josephine. Fathers and daughters deserve to match just as much as mothers and daughters,” he explained. Joey shook her head in amusement and laughed.   


“How did you convince her to put a dress on?” Joey asked. “And how is it still clean?”   


“She was the one that wanted to wear it,” he said. Her eyes widened in surprise. “I was just as surprised as you are. I was getting her ready this morning and she wanted a dress.”   


“I’m shocked,” she said, then raised an eyebrow at her daughter. She ran her fingers over the top of her bumpy hair. Pacey was an incredible dad, and excelled at everything when it came to Hattie, except for hair. He could not get the hang of styling it, no matter how hard he tried. “What’s happening with her hair?”   


“It’s called a messy bun, Jo. Gosh,” he dramatically rolled his eyes. “It is all the rave.”   


“Well you definitely nailed the messy part,” she teased. He stuck his tongue out at her and she giggled. “It somehow looks so adorable on her though.”   


“It’s the curls,” he said.   


“You’re probably right,” she agreed. Joey wrapped her arms around his waist while he cooked and rested her chin on his shoulder. He rested his cheek against hers and smiled. “I love you, Pace.”   


“I love you, Jo.” Pacey turned his head slightly and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.   


“Love you!” Hattie chimed in. The two broke apart and smiled at their toddler.   


“And we love you,” Joey leaned down to kiss her nose.   


Right there, in the kitchen with Pacey and Hattie, Joey felt a security and comfort she hadn’t felt her entire young life. She knew that as long as she had him and as long as she had her, nothing could hurt her. Pacey and Hattie were her happy place.   


  


  


“Momma, stay.” Hattie clutched Joey’s hand and refused to let go when Joey moved to get off the toddler bed.   


“What’s wrong, sweet girl?” Joey sat back down and brushed a stray piece of hair off her forehead.   


“No leave,” she pulled on Joey’s arm. Joey looked at Pacey, and he ran a hand over the back of her head. Then he stepped towards Hattie and pressed a kiss to her forehead.   


“I’ll be downstairs,” he said to Joey before looking at his daughter. “I love you, Hattie. Sweet dreams, baby girl.”   


“Love you,” she said but continued to tug on Joey’s arm. Joey slid up the bed and sat next to her, stretching her legs out in front of her. Hattie, almost instantly, snuggled into Joey’s side.   


“Are you tired, Hattie?”   


“No,” she mumbled into Joey’s stomach. Joey knew she was lying, she could hear the exhaustion in her voice and saw her eyes drooping closed. “Play.”   


“Play?” Joey repeated. “No, sweet one. It’s too late to play. We can play tomorrow when you wake up.”   


“Water?”   


“It’s too cold,” she said.   


“No boat?” Hattie looked up at her mom, eyes wide.   


“No boat,” she shook her head and then poked her nose. Hattie giggled and snuggled even closer to her mom. “But we can go on the boat all the time when it’s warm.”   


“Daddy?”   


“Daddy can come, too,” Joey promised. “I don’t think he’d let us take the boat without him.”   


“No,” she shook her head.   


“I sure do love you, Hattie.” Joey ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair and smiled fondly as she thought of the night she was born. “I remember when they placed you in my arms for the first time. You were this chubby little one with the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. You were crying so loud and your face was so red.”   


“Me?” Hattie mumbled.   


“Yes you,” she brushed her thumb across her forehead. “They put you right on my chest and I cried right along with you. I loved you from the second I heard your loud cry and my love for you has only grown, every single day I get to spend with you. You changed my life and your daddy’s life for the best. I can’t imagine a world without you, sweet girl.”   


Joey looked down when she felt her stop squirming around and realized that she had fallen asleep. She carefully adjusted her so that her head was on the pillow, and then gently slid off the bed. She slid the covers over her small body and softly brushed her fingers across her cheek. Joey watched the rise and fall of her tiny chest, and knew there wasn’t a more comforting sight in the world. Whispering words of love to her sleeping daughter, she pressed one more kiss to her forehead before turning and quietly walking out of the room.   


  


  


“And she’s out,” Joey walked into the living room and smiled at her husband. Pacey looked over from where he was watching the television and smiled in return. She had changed into her pajamas and pulled her hair up into a messy bun. There wasn’t any make-up on her face and she continued to take his breath away with her effortless beauty.   


“I wasn’t sure she was going to let you leave the room tonight,” he chuckled.   


“You would think I left her for the week, not just the day.”   


“Well she’s like her dad,” he smiled. “She just can’t get enough of Joey Potter.”   


“Oh hush,” she blushed. Pacey turned off the television and watched as she turned on the radio. A slow song immediately filled the living room and she turned to smile at him, biting her lip sheepishly. Joey held out her hand and walked over towards him. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something all night. Would you like to dance with me?”   


“Yes,” he stood up and took her hand in his own. “Yes, I would.”   


“Good,” she smiled and felt her heart skip a beat when he pulled her into his arms. His one arm wrapped around her waist and her free hand wrapped around his shoulders. Joey laced their fingers together and pressed her forehead against his, a happy sigh escaping her lips as the two started to sway along to the soft music. “All these years later, and this still feels so right.”   


“Hey,” he brushed his nose down the length of hers. “That’s my line, Potter.”   


“I’ll give you back your lines when you start calling me Witter,” she teased. He laughed and tugged her closer to him, pressing a kiss to her forehead.   


“Do you remember the first time we ever danced together?”   


“It was those dance lessons,” she said. “When you could fit an entire person between the two of us.”   


“I’m offended, Jo.”   


“What?” Joey furrowed her brows. “That’s the first time we ever danced together.”   


“No it’s not,” he shook his head. “The first time we ever danced together was in sixth grade.”   


“Sixth grade?” Joey repeated, trying to rake her brain for the memory.   


“It was at Kelly Moore’s birthday party. It was the first boy, girl party that the three of us ever went to,” he said. Joey slowly started to remember that night. Pacey had convinced both her and Dawson to go, despite her loud protests. “A slow song came on and everyone started to pair off. Dawson danced with that new girl. The one with the bright red hair and all those freckles.”   


“Maggie O’Brien,” Joey nodded. “I remember her. She was so sweet.”   


“You sat on the couch with your arms crossed and a huge scowl on your face,” he chuckled. “I was so upset because Kristy Livingstone had some boyfriend that wasn’t me.”   


“I will never understand your crush on her,” she shook her head in amusement. Pacey dipped her back and she shrieked, before giggling as he pulled her back up again.   


“I was young!” Pacey poked her nose with his own and she giggled. “Anyway, I walked over to you and made you dance with me.”   


“You didn’t even ask,” she said. “You just took my hand and tugged me off the couch.”   


“I swear you could fit two whole people between the two of us but you danced with me the entire song,” he smiled fondly. She smiled and nuzzled herself closer to him, loving the way their bodies swayed as one to the music. They certainly had come a long way from those earlier dances together.   


“Then the song ended and you pulled my pigtail before running away.”   


“Well dancing with you was awkward enough. We didn’t need that post dance awkwardness,” he teased and she laughed.   


“I remember how much that meant to me. Nobody else wanted to dance with me and I was sure I was just going to sit there alone all night,” she ran her fingers through his hair and pressed a kiss to his cheek.   


“I may have picked on you but that didn’t mean I didn’t care about you,” he insisted. “I’ve always cared about you, Jo.”   


“What do you think sixth grade Pacey and Joey would say if they saw their lives now?”   


“Married with a daughter?” Pacey asked and she nodded. “I think younger Pacey would’ve shoved younger Joey into the creek and then younger Joey would stomp up to him and kick him in the shin.”   


“That sounds about right,” she said and the two shared a laugh. “I’m glad it was you, Pace.”   


“Huh?”   


“The one I ended up with. The one that I married. I’m so glad that it’s you, Pace. I wouldn’t want to do life with anyone else,” she said and rested her forehead against his. “I love you.”   


“I love you,” he whispered. “I will always be glad that it’s you, Jo.”   


Pacey slid the hand that was resting on her waist, up her back and rested it on her neck. He moved his lips down towards hers and after a breath, pressed a kiss to them. It was soft, and gentle. It was full of love and adoration. It was the kind of kiss that filled your heart with a tenderness you couldn’t explain. Her fingers tangled themselves in his hair and his other hand pulled her close by the waist. Then the kiss turned passionate and took her breath away. She felt the passion from the feel of his lips against hers, straight down to her toes. Every part of her body was alive and begging for more. She craved more.   


“Let’s go upstairs,” she whispered against his lips. He nodded but neither moved towards the steps, too wrapped up in the sensations their lips sparked. “Come on,” she reluctantly stepped away from him and laced her fingers through his.   


“Lead the way, sweetheart.” Pacey followed behind her, his heart pounding with every step that he took. He knew that no matter where she went, or what she did, he would always follow her. He would always go wherever she went.   


  


  


Joey stirred from her sleep when she heard the phone ringing. The clock on her nightstand read eleven thirty. Who in the world would be calling this late? She heard Pacey groan next to her and rubbed a comforting hand on his bare shoulder, lulling him back to sleep. She grabbed her robe and quickly rushed down to the kitchen to grab the phone. She was breathless by the time she reached the kitchen, and picked up the phone before she missed the call.   


“Hello?” Was her breathless greeting.   


“Joey?” Bessie’s voice filled her ears and she furrowed her brows. Her sister never called her this late at night.   


“Hey Bess,” she said. “It’s kind of late.”   


“I know, I’m sorry.” Bessie said. “I was going to wait until morning but I couldn’t.”   


“What’s going on?” Joey asked. She saw Pacey walk into the kitchen, his brows furrowed, and he rested his back against the wall in front of her.   


“It’s, uh, it’s,” her older sister stuttered over her words. Joey knew it was something bad, because Bessie never had trouble forming her thoughts.   


“You’re kind of freaking me out here, Bessie.” Joey said. Pacey narrowed his eyes and rested his hands on her hips, moving her to stand in front of him. She shrugged at his questioning look, not sure what was going on.   


“It’s dad,” Bessie finally said. Joey stiffened, something that Pacey immediately noticed and he tried to read her face for some kind of explanation.   


“What about him?” Joey’s tone was tense and Pacey automatically knew it was something bad. He traced circles around her hipbones with his thumbs, trying to comfort her from whatever was being said on the other end of the phone.   


“He got out, Jo.” Bessie said and then explained it all to her. Joey just stood there and numbly listened to her older sister. They said their goodbyes and she hung up the phone. She stared at the phone, remaining firmly planted in her spot.   


“Jo?” Pacey cautiously asked.   


Joey felt everything from her younger years flash before her. Her mom dying, her dad cheating, visiting her dad in jail, The Ice House burning down with all of her friends inside, finding out that he was dealing again, wearing a wire and turning her dad in. She felt all the anger, the betrayal, and the hurt consume her. She remembered how he promised her that he was going to stay and then broke his promise, leaving them again. Joey remembered it all, and wished she didn’t. She wished that she could erase those horrible times and start fresh with her dad. But, she knew that wasn’t possible. She knew there were too many years of heartache and betrayal to overcome.   


“Sweetheart?” Pacey tried again. He watched her drift off to a far off place and felt himself growing more concerned every second that she stayed silent. Her eyes finally locked with his, and all he saw was pain. “What’s happening, Jo?”   


“My dad.”   


“What about him?”   


“My dad’s out, Pace. My dad is out of jail,” she said and saw his eyes widen in surprise. That was the last thing Pacey had expected to hear from her.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this is a slight a/u story, Joey's dad was never released while she was in college. I wanted to deal with all the emotions that I always imagined Joey went through and not just have him thrown back into her life with no context, kind of like the show did. So for the sake of this story, he is just finishing his sentence and being released. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're still enjoying this story!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter serves as kind of a filler to the next one. It was going to be way too long if I left in everything so I had to break it up into two parts. Let me know what you think! I really hope I was accurate with the different emotions Joey felt. I always felt like she would be kind of all over the place when it came to her dad, and that's exactly how she is here. Thank you so much for the support and kind words!

Joey tried to not to squirm in the bed, trying with everything inside of her to not wake up Pacey. She was flat on her back, staring up at the dark ceiling, and dealing with the onslaught of thoughts consuming her. She honestly wasn’t even really sure how to begin to process everything. She felt Pacey shift around in the bed and held her breath, hoping that he didn’t wake up. It was bad enough that she was suffering from insomnia, he didn’t need to either. One of them deserved to sleep. Hattie deserved at least one functioning parent tomorrow.   


She ran a tired hand over her face and sighed. Her dad was out. Her dad was a free man. After years of sitting in prison, and missing out on so many incredible moments, he was out and walking free. Joey often wondered what he would be like after this stint in prison. She wondered what having to go back would do to his mental state. She wondered if he was still the same man he had been all those years ago. Was he angrier? Was he standoffish? It had taken her a long time to want to go visit him, and she was ashamed to admit that she had only done it once or twice. The only reason she had even gone was because Bessie forced her to, or she would have stayed away.   


Joey flipped onto her side to face Pacey and groaned. He was still asleep and she felt the sudden urge to wake him up. She wanted to talk to him, express her feelings. She wanted him to kiss her and make her forget all her inner turmoil in the way only he could. She wanted him to tell her it would be okay and that he would always be there for her. Joey reached out her hand to wake up him but then yanked it away. He had spent the entire day with an energetic two year old and was probably exhausted beyond belief. As much as she hated it, she would let him sleep and talk to him in the morning.   


“You can touch me,” he mumbled. Joey widened her eyes, and watched as his eyes slowly opened. She saw the concern instantly flash across them. She traced a path across his cheekbone from his nose to ear with her finger, then reversed the path she just made. There was something incredibly comforting about touching Pacey, almost like she was reminding herself that he was still there.   


“How long have you been pretending to sleep?”   


“How long have you been tossing and turning?” Pacey countered and she blushed slightly.   


“Why didn’t you say anything?”   


“Because I’d like to think I know you well enough to know when you want to be alone with your thoughts,” he said. Joey felt her heart flutter and smiled softly, despite everything. He really did know her better than anyone else, sometimes better than she even knew herself. “If you wanted to talk about it, you would have woken me up.”   


“I don’t know if I can even put into words what I’m feeling or thinking right now,” she admitted. He reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, brushing this thumb gently across her cheek. Joey closed her eyes and forced back the unexpected tears that were threatening to spill.   


“That’s okay,” he insisted. “It hasn’t even been five hours since Bess called. No one is expecting you to process everything and have rational thoughts about it.”   


“Do you think he’s going to try and see me?” Joey asked, her voice dropping. She hated that she sounded like that scared fifteen year old girl.   


“I’m sure he will,” he nodded. “How could he not want to? I’m sure seeing you and Bessie is all he wants to do right now.”   


“He’s never met Hattie,” she whispered. Her voice shook and her bottom lip quivered. “He’s never seen me as a mom or a wife. I think he knows I’m married? I can’t remember if I told him, Pace. Oh god, what if I didn’t tell him and he’s mad I didn’t tell him?”   


“Hey,” Pacey scooted closer to her and cupped her face in his hands. He could feel her shaking beneath his hands and wanted to calm her down before she went into full blown panic mode. “Calm down, Jo. Take a deep breath, and try to calm down.”   


“I just-,” she took a deep breath and shook her head. Tears glistened her eyes and she clutched Pacey’s arm. “I just don’t know.”   


“You don’t have to know anything right now, you don’t have to know anything at all,” he promised. He used the pads of his thumbs to brush away a few fallen tears and then leaned close to her, pressing a kiss to her one cheek and then the other. “You take it one day at a time and we will figure out this next step together, okay? You won’t have to handle this alone. I am going to be with you, every step of the way.”   


“Promise?” Joey whispered.   


He hated all the insecurities and fears that filled her tone. He wanted to fix this for her. He wanted to make all of this better and ensure that she wouldn’t feel any ounce of sadness or pain. Unfortunately, Pacey knew that wasn’t realistic. He knew that, no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn’t be able to shield her from it all. But Pacey sure as hell could try. He sure as hell could make sure that he did whatever he had to and would attempt to protect her from whatever he needed to. That much he could promise.   


“I promise,” he nodded.   


“I knew this day would eventually come,” she swallowed and her eyes filled with tears. They started to slowly slip down her cheeks and Pacey’s heart broke a little more with every tear that slipped from her beautiful, broken brown eyes. He knew her mind was on overdrive right now and sometimes crying was the only way to let it all out. Her voice cracked when she said, “I just wasn’t ready for it. I don’t think I could ever prepare myself for it.”   


“Come here,” Pacey pulled her into his arms and held her tight as she cried. He pulled her onto his body and held her close, running his fingers through her hair and whispered words of love and comfort. He vowed to hold her close, every step of the way.   


  


  


“Hey,” Joey walked into the B&B the next morning and saw her sister sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee. She looked about as exhausted as Joey felt. She filled her own mug with coffee and then joined her older sister at the table.   


“Hey Jo,” Bessie said. “I would ask what brings you here so early but that would be ridiculous.”   


“I think I slept about four hours last night. How about you?”   


“Three.”   


“Pacey started running his fingers through my hair and you know that’s always been the go to trick to get me asleep,” Joey took a sip of her coffee and then placed the mug back on the table.   


“I pretended to sleep when I knew Bodie was awake or he would’ve rubbed my back and knocked me right out,” Bessie shrugged.   


“It’s safe to say I get my coping skills from you,” Joey chuckled softly but then sighed. “Have you seen him?”   


“No,” her older sister shook her head. “He called here from the motel he’s staying in.”   


“He’s staying at a motel?” Her brows furrowed.   


“Well, he didn’t want to just show up here. He had no idea where to go so that’s where he went,” she explained. “He said he didn’t want to just randomly pop up or bump into us in town. He wanted the two of us to be prepared to see him.”   


“Is the motel in town?”   


“Yeah,” she nodded. “He didn’t say which one but he said it’s here. I guess they give you money upon release so that’s what he’s using to rent the room. He was curious about the B&B. I forgot he was already gone by the time we started renovations so he never saw it.”   


“He hasn’t seen The Ice House yet, either.” Joey twirled her rings around her finger. She wondered how her dad would feel about her husband opening up their old family business.   


“He saw it,” she nodded. Joey furrowed her brows in question. “He said he walked by it on the way to the motel. He was shocked it was reopened. Did you never tell him?”   


“Uh, no.” Joey awkwardly shifted in her chair. “I figured you had.”   


“No,” she shook her head. “It wasn’t my husband opening it. I figured you’d want to tell him.”   


“Did you tell him it was Pacey that opened it?”   


“Yes,” Bessie nodded. “He got quiet for a minute, and then said he wasn’t surprised honestly.”   


“So, does he want to see us?”   


“Of course he does, Jo.” Bessie furrowed her brows. “Do you not want to see him?”   


“I don’t know,” she shrugged. She traced a finger over the top of the mug and swallowed a lump forming. “I have no idea what I want.”   


“It’s understandable. I mean, we always knew this day would be here but it was kind of always just a one day in the future sort of thing.”   


“And now the future is here,” Joey sighed.   


“He’s coming over here tonight for dinner,” Bessie said. Joey sat up straight and pursed her lips. “We are going to have dinner after all the guests eat so that we can be alone.”  


“Bess-“   


“He’d really like for you to be here,” she said. “You and Pacey should come.”   


“I-“   


“Just think about it, okay?” Bessie squeezed her hand and then nodded. “Just think about it.”   


  


  


Joey had spent another half hour or so with her sister, before she needed to get home. Pacey needed to go into the restaurant for a meeting and she needed to be home to watch Hattie. She currently had her hands deep in a sink of water, scrubbing all the dishes from lunch. She hated when things got piled up and the sink was a mess. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts and she figured a little cleaning would be good for her. Cleaning had always been her comfort when she was stressed. Cleaning and organizing. She had finally gotten Hattie down for her nap and knew she had at least another hour or so before she woke up, leaving her alone with her thoughts.   


Bessie’s offer for dinner was swirling around in her mind. Did she even want to go? Obviously she needed to see her dad, she needed to talk to him. There was so much she wanted to say to him, so much she needed to say. He deserved to know how she felt, he deserved to understand the numerous emotions she felt in regards to him. But that didn’t mean she was so eager to talk to him. She wasn’t in a rush to pour her feelings out and share her years of resentment and anger with him. She didn’t think she would ever be ready for that.   


Pacey stepped into the doorway of the kitchen, watching Joey furiously scrub the plate in her hands. He knew it was cleaner than it would ever be but she was so lost in her thoughts that it didn’t register to her. He watched her for a minute, just watching the obvious thoughts run around in her mind. She had woken up relatively quiet this morning, and rushed out the door before he even finished getting dressed. He prayed that she wasn’t closing down on him and shutting him out. After her initial breakdown, he hoped that she wasn’t just going to shut everyone away and deal with this on her own.   


“Hey,” he finally made his presence known. Joey jumped, and dropped the plate, causing it to shatter.   


“Shit,” Joey grabbed her wrist and lifted it up to inspect it. There was a small gash on her palm and it stung as blood started to drip down her hand.   


“Jesus, Jo! I’m sorry!” Pacey rushed over to her side and grabbed her wrist to inspect the cut. She snatched her hand back and glared at him.   


“God, Pacey. What the hell? Make a damn sound next time!” Joey snapped. He sighed and watched as she stuck her hand under the water. She winced and quickly pulled it away from the water, her eyes pricking with tears from the stinging the water caused.   


“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”   


“It’s fine,” she flicked a tear off her face and grabbed a dish towel to wrap around her hand.   


Pacey reached into one of the cabinets and grabbed the first aid kit. He guided her into a chair and then pulled one to sit in front of her. Joey watched as he pulled the towel away from her hand and held her hand with complete gentleness. The tenderness as he grabbed a wipe from the kit and gently cleaned her cut, well it made her want to cry. His thumb traced circles around the front of her hand as he took care of her injury. He tossed the wipe onto the table and then grabbed a gauze, and wrapped it around her hand. Once it was secure, Pacey lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to each one of her fingers. A tear slipped down her cheek, and he lifted up a hand to brush it away.   


“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” she whispered.   


“It’s okay,” he said. Pacey pulled her chair closer to him and rested his hands on her thighs, softly caressing them with his thumbs.   


“Bess wants us to go over for dinner tonight,” she said. He waited for her to continue because he knew that it was something much for than dinner for her to snap that way. “My dad is going to be there.”   


“What did you say?”   


“That I would think about it,” Joey sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair and then looked down at her hand, wrapped up in gauze. “I said I’d talk to you and see what you thought.”   


“Jo-“   


“I know, I know. It’s my decision and you’ll do whatever I want,” she said.   


“Well if you want to go, then you know I will be there with you the entire time. I won’t leave your side for a second,” he said.   


“What if I have to go to the bathroom?” Joey raised an eyebrow and he smirked.   


“I’ve seen you give birth, Jo. I’m not afraid to watch you pee.”   


“And they say romance is dead,” she rolled her eyes and chuckled.   


“You know me. I’m all about the romance, baby.” He lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to it. She had no idea how he did it. He made her laugh when that was the last thing she wanted to do. He made her feel better without even really trying. He really was her good mood pill.   


“I think we should go,” she admitted. His eyebrows lifted, clearly surprised by her answer, and she shrugged. “I mean, it’s better to see him in a planned setting instead of bumping into him on the streets, right?”   


“Right,” he nodded.   


“I don’t want Hattie to go though,” Joey said. “I’d feel better if we left her with someone else for the night. It’s going to be too much.”   


“That makes sense,” Pacey nodded. “Jack was complaining the other day that he’s lacking time with his goddaughter so we can leave her with him for the night.”   


“Isn’t he out of town with Doug?”   


“They got back this morning,” he said. “It will be a nice welcome home for the two of them.”   


“Maybe she can stay the night there?” Joey suggested. “I have no idea how late it will be or what kind of mood I’ll be in and I don’t want to snap at her. That’s not fair to Hattie.”   


“I’ll call Jack and set it up,” Pacey said. He leaned forward, cupped her left cheek with his hand and then pressed a kiss to her right cheek. She closed her eyes and savored the comforting feel that it gave her. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear before pressing a kiss below her ear.   


“I love you too,” she brushed a finger across his jaw and then watched as he walked out of the room to call their friend. Joey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was the right decision, and she knew it would be okay with Pacey there.   


  


  


“Hey,” Jen said. Joey looked up from the book she was reading and saw her walking in her direction with Jack and Pacey. They all stepped onto Pacey’s boat and the cold air hit them instantly.   


“Hi,” she greeted them all. They were all bundled up with winter coats, hats, gloves, and scarves, trying to do whatever they could to fight off the cold December air.   


“You couldn’t have picked a warmer place to contemplate your thoughts?” Jack rubbed his gloved hands together and shivered.   


“There is a below deck,” Pacey pointed out. He ran his hand over the soft hat on Joey’s head and smiled softly at her.   


“I don’t want to sit on the bed where you’ve done unthinkable things to my sweet Joey,” Jack pretended to gag. Jen and Joey giggled, while Pacey just rolled his eyes.   


“Then you’re going to freeze your ass off,” Pacey retorted. Jack glared at him and then sat on the ground across from Joey, shrieking when his butt came in contact with the cold surface.   


“You could’ve grabbed a blanket to sit on,” Joey said. Jen grabbed one and set it on the ground, sitting down on it. Jack quickly joined her on the blanket and sighed in relief. Pacey sat next to Joey and bumped her leg with his own.   


“Not that I don’t encourage sitting on a boat to contemplate your thoughts, but I don’t encourage pneumonia.” Pacey said. He looked at his wife, and could see just how red her nose and cheeks were, which meant she had been out there for a while now.   


“I considered just sailing away but then I realized I’d miss Hattie too much,” she shrugged.   


“Just Hattie, huh?” Pacey nudged her arm.   


“I suppose I’d miss you a little bit too,” she said.   


“You better mean the two of us in that you also,” Jen chimed in.   


“I don’t just freeze my ass off for anyone!” Jack added. Joey chuckled and nodded.   


“I’d miss all of you,” she said. “Thus, staying here.”   


“So,” Jen tugged on her scarf and looked at the brunette. “Lovely weather we are having.”   


“Lovely, indeed,” Jack nodded. Joey looked at Pacey, who just shook his head and then back at her two best friends. After a moment, she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that her stomach hurt and tears ran down her cheeks. The three widened their eyes and shared concerned looks.   


“I’m sorry,” Joey slowly calmed down and brushed the tears off her face. “Watching the two of you try so desperately to ask how I am, without asking is hysterical.”   


“Hey!” Jack frowned. “That is not what we were doing.”   


“It’s not?” She raised an eyebrow.   


“You’re the one who messed it up,” Jen nudged Jack’s side and he flicked her shoulder.   


“Okay children,” Pacey held up his hands to stop them and they snapped their mouths shut.   


“When’s the last time you talked to him?” Jen asked, her voice soft and kind.   


“It’s been at least a year,” she said. “I haven’t gone to visit him in a really long time.”   


“When was the last time?” Jack asked.   


“High school,” she said. “I’m almost went in college but couldn’t talk myself into it.”   


“To tell him you were pregnant?” Jen asked.   


“No,” she shook her head. She reached over and grabbed Pacey’s hand, lacing their gloved fingers together. She felt him squeeze her hand and knew he remembered that time. “It was after I got mugged.”   


“Oh,” Jen widened her eyes. She remembered that, she remembered that like it was just yesterday. The panic that all felt when they couldn’t get in touch with her after getting home from filming Dawson’s movie and then when she walked into the house, dropping what happened on all of them.   


_“Jo!” Pacey shot off the couch when he saw her walk through the front door. He pulled her into his arms and buried a hand in her hair, hugging her close to him. “Where were you? I called you so many times. You said you were going back to the dorms to study but Audrey said you weren’t there.”_  


_“I-,” Joey buried her face in his shoulder and broke down into tears. Pacey was startled by her sudden tears, but rubbed her back softly. Jen looked at Jack, who looked back in surprise._  


_“Hey,” Pacey whispered and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Hey, it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s okay.”_  


_“It’s not,” she shook her head and whimpered. She clutched the back of his shirt and desperately clung to him, looking for any kind of comfort she could find._  


_“What happened?” Pacey pulled back slightly, looking at her tearstained face, and brushed away some of the tears on her face. His concern levels were through the roof right now and he needed her to start talking soon. He tugged her into the living room and pulled her into a chair with him, sitting her on his lap. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”_  


_“It got smashed,” she whispered. “And then I fainted.”_  


_“You fainted?” Jen widened her eyes. “What the hell happened?”_  


_“I, uh,” she looked from Pacey, to Jen, to Jack, and saw the same thing on all of their faces. Complete, and utter concern. “I got mugged.”_  


_“What?” All of three of them exclaimed at the same time. Pacey’s grip on her waist tightened and she felt him tense up immediately._  


_“I was stopping at the ATM on my way back to the dorm and, uh, this guy stopped me at gun point.” She swallowed hard and felt Pacey’s grip get even tighter. “He had me clean out my entire account. I gave him all the money because I was so afraid. I didn’t want him to hurt me.”_  


_“You did the right thing,” Jen insisted. Her heart clenched and she wanted so desperately to comfort her friend._  


_“He, uh. He got hit by a car when he was trying to get away and I stayed with him while I waited for the paramedics and police. I fainted when they showed up and woke up on the way to the hospital, so I was quickly discharged.”_  


_“Jesus Joey,” Jack sighed. He had no idea what to say or how to help his friend._  


_“I was, I was uh leaving the hospital and saw his estranged wife and daughter. He was dying, he died. I have no idea why I did it, but I told his daughter that he jumped in front of the car to save my life.” She swallowed hard and shook her head. “It reminded me so much of me looking at my dad, wanting to see him as the hero I hoped he was. I didn’t want her to be hit with the cold truth at such a young age. Maybe it will help her in the long run.”_  


_“Jo,” Pacey whispered. She turned to face him, and saw everything on his face. The fear, the anger, the sadness. She felt a fresh set of tears fill her eyes and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his neck. Jen and Jack excused themselves, letting the couple be alone to deal with all of this._  


_“I’m here, Jo. I’m here, okay?” Pacey rubbed her back in comforting strokes and held her as close to him as he possibly could. “It’s all going to be okay, I promise. I’ve got you, sweetheart.”_  


_“Pace,” she sobbed into his shoulder and his own eyes filled with tears. The weight of it all suddenly hit him. Someone held her at gunpoint. His Joey, the love of his life, his best friend. If she hadn’t done exactly what he said, or he didn’t like her tone, then he could’ve-. No, he wouldn’t think that. He couldn’t think that. He wouldn’t let himself think that. Joey was safe, she was in his arms and safe. _  
__

___“I’ve got you,” he whispered again, his own voice thick with tears. She was safe and that’s what he needed to remind himself._  
_ _

__“That is one moment in time that I would never like to relive,” Pacey shuttered and shook his head. Joey squeezed his hand again and rested her head on his shoulder.  
_ _

__“I just couldn’t find it in myself to go see him,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to see him for the first time in a while because of something like that. I wanted it to be because I wanted to, not because I was traumatized.”  
_ _

__“That’s understandable,” Jen nodded. “How do you think it’s going to be at dinner?”  
_ _

__“Weird, awkward, tense.”  
_ _

__“But you’ll at least get the first meeting out of the way,” Jack said.  
_ _

__“True,” she nodded. She played with Pacey’s long fingers and took comfort in them.  
_ _

__“Well you know you always have us,” Jen said. Joey lifted her eyes to look at the blonde. “No matter how the dinner goes, or how awkward it is, you will always have us.”  
_ _

__“Your Apartment 319 family,” Jack said. Joey smiled and nodded. “Unless we all freeze to death.”  
_ _

__“I don’t remember you being this dramatic in high school or college,” Pacey shook his head and everyone laughed.  
_ _

__“I’m not dramatic!” Jack gasped, which only made everyone laugh harder. Joey looked at Pacey, and he looked back at her. Their foreheads touched, and their noses brushed. She certainly did love him, she loved him so much.  
_ _

__  
_ _

____

  


____

Joey was walking towards Pacey’s restaurant after leaving the boat. He and Jen had to head back for a staff meeting, and Jack had to get back to his apartment to relive Doug of Hattie so he could head to work. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and was convinced that she was numb from the cold at this point. She was going to convince Pacey to make her one of his special hot chocolates to go before they headed over to the B&B. The thought of the warm beverage, plus her handsome husband, warmed her body slightly and urged her to walk a little faster.   


____

“Joey?” She heard from behind her and she internally groaned. A distraction from her destination was not what she needed right now. She needed the warmth of Pacey’s restaurant and his beautiful smile. She spun around and the annoyance inside of her only intensified when she realized it was Dawson behind her.   


____

“Hey,” she said. “I’m kind of in a rush. What’s up?”   


____

“I was, uh,” he shuffled nervously on his feet and she furrowed her brows. “I was filming earlier and saw your dad. I thought for sure I saw a ghost.”   


____

“He’s not dead, Dawson. How would he be a ghost?”   


____

“You know what I mean,” he muttered. “When did he get out?”   


____

“Yesterday, I think.” Joey shrugged.   


____

“How’s-“   


____

“Dawson,” Joey quickly interrupted. “There isn’t much I want to discuss with you these days, but my dad is definitely high up on that list.”   


____

“Joey-“   


____

“You do recall what happened, right?” Joey narrowed her eyes. “You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not too keen to discuss him with you.”   


____

“That was a long time ago,” he said.   


____

“It doesn’t change what you did,” she said.   


____

“So you never actually forgave me for it?”   


____

“I told you I don’t want to talk about this,” she snapped. “Is it really that difficult for you to respect my wishes?”   


____

“Fine,” he threw up his hands in frustration. “I was just trying to be your friend.”   


____

“We aren’t friends, though. We haven’t been friends in a really long time.”   


____

“Because you won’t forgive me. You won’t move on,” he snapped.   


____

“You verbally attacked my husband. You said incredibly hurtful and unnecessarily cruel things to him. The fact that you think I’m just going to move on from that and forgive you just proves to me that you never really knew me at all,” she said.   


____

“So this is how it’s always going to be between us?” Dawson gestured between the two of them. “You’re going to regret losing our friendship one day.”   


____

“The only thing I’m ever going to regret is how I put your feelings above Pacey’s in high school,” she responded coolly. “I should’ve opened my eyes the moment you gave me that ridiculous ultimatum about choosing between you and him. I should’ve known then that you never had my best interest at heart.”   


____

“Then I guess we have nothing more to say to each other,” he said.   


____

“I guess so,” she shrugged. Dawson looked at her once more, before turning and walking away. Joey watched after him and felt nothing. No regret, no pain. All she felt was relief. Relief for finally doing what she should’ve done her junior year.   


____

  


____

  


____

“Extra chocolate?” Joey asked, before taking another sip.   


____

“No,” Pacey shook his head. She furrowed her brows and looked at the cup in her hands as they drove towards the B&B. “Why do you think I did anything different?”   


____

“It tastes different,” she insisted.   


____

“I made it the exact same way I do every time,” he said.   


____

“Are you sure there isn’t extra chocolate in it?” Joey asked. He smirked as she took another sip and scrunched up her face in concentration, trying to figure it out.   


____

“I’m positive, Jo.”   


____

“Is it a different kind of chocolate?”   


____

“I melted chocolate instead of using powdered chocolate,” he admitted.   


____

“I knew it!” Joey poked his arm and playfully glared at him. He laughed and rolled his eyes. “You made me think I was crazy this entire time, but you really did do something different!”   


____

“I honestly did not think it would taste any different,” Pacey said.   


____

“Well it tastes chocolatier,” she said.   


____

“Is that even a word?” Pacey scrunched his brows and laughed as he pulled into the driveway. He was glad that he had gotten her mind off her confrontation with Dawson and this upcoming dinner on the drive over.   


____

“Of course it’s a word!” Joey insisted.   


____

“Are you sure about that?” He narrowed his eyes.   


____

“I have an Ivy League education, Pace. I know words.”   


____

“Well you can’t argue with that logic,” he smirked. She rolled her eyes and laughed. Then she realized where she was and felt her stomach clench. Pacey saw the immediate switch in her mood and reached over to tug on a piece of her hair. “You sure you want to go in? I can turn this car around right now and go through a drive-thru, and we can scarf down terrible food for us in the car.”   


____

“As tempting as that sounds, and it sounds very tempting, I think I’m ready.” She nodded. Pacey cupped her cheek with his gloved hand and brushed his thumb across her rosy cheek.   


____

“I’m right here, sweetheart.”   


____

“I know,” she nodded and leaned into his touch.   


____

“How about this?” Pacey looked into her eyes and she raised an eyebrow in question. “If you feel overwhelmed, or want me to help you escape for a few minutes, tug on your ear.”   


____

“Tug on my ear?” Joey asked.   


____

“Yeah. Like this,” Pacey lifted his free hand and tugged on his earlobe. Joey mimicked his action and smiled. “Just like that, Jo.”   


____

“I’ll tug on my ear,” she agreed. She pressed her forehead to his and took a deep breath. “I love you, Pace.”   


____

“I love you more, Jo.”   


____

“Not possible,” she shook her head.   


____

“I could spend the next hour in this car arguing with you about how it is possible but I don’t think we have the time,” he said. Joey chuckled and nodded against his forehead. They shared a quick kiss and his nose brushed the length of hers. Pulling back, Pacey looked into her eyes and smiled softly. “Are you ready?”   


____

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” she whispered. Pacey kissed her once more and then turned off the car. He got out of the car, and Joey took a second to take a deep breath. She watched him walk around the car and open her door for her, offering his hand to her. Joey placed her hand in his and stepped out of the car, closing the door behind her.   


____

“You got this, Potter.” Pacey squeezed her hand. Joey looked at her husband, seeing the love and encouragement on his face. Then she looked at the B&B and nodded.   


____

“I got this.”   


____


	8. Chapter 8

The B&B was her home her entire life, up until she moved to Boston. Then she returned and immediately moved into her current house with Pacey. She had so many memories from her childhood home. Good, bad, and in between. Joey remembered watching the house transition from her home to the current B&B it was. All the changes that had been made but it still always felt like the house she grew up in. The man standing patiently next to her had been a huge part of making their mom’s dream become a reality. He had been a big part of so many of her memories inside that house.   


Joey reached out her hand and grabbed Pacey’s. He responded by lacing their fingers and giving her hand a squeeze. He then slowly lifted their joined hands to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss on the top of her hand and then another kiss on her pulse point. She felt those pesky butterflies inside her stomach and wondered if there would ever be a time when he didn’t awaken them. She realistically knew that the answer was always going to be no. She chewed on her bottom lip and Pacey reached out, tracing her mouth with his thumb until she released her bottom lip. Once she did, he ran his finger across her bottom lip and smiled softly at her.   


“Let’s go,” she nodded. Joey tightened her grip on his hand and followed him towards the house. He looked at her once more and then pushed open the front door. Her stomach twisted with nerves as she walked inside the house and the warmth that surrounded her.   


“Hey Joey,” Bodie suddenly appeared in front of the married couple and smiled at them.   


“Hi Bodie,” Joey stepped forward and hugged him. He returned the gesture and then shook hands with Pacey. “Where is everyone?”   


“Bess is in the living room with your dad,” he said. “Alex is hanging out over at the Leery’s with Lily.”   


“Oh,” Joey nodded. She felt Pacey rest a hand on her lower back and let out a breath that she didn’t even realize she was holding.   


“I’m just finishing up in the kitchen so we should be set to eat soon,” he said. Bodie watched as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip and twirled her wedding band around her finger. He stepped closer and gave her arm a comforting squeeze. Her eyes locked with his, and she smiled at the gesture. Then he turned and headed towards the kitchen, declining Pacey’s offer to help, knowing that Joey needed him more.   


“Come on,” Pacey gently tugged on her hand. He knew if given the choice, Joey would stand in the dining room for the remainder of the night, so he wanted to help guide her along.   


“Okay,” she nodded but remained firmly planted to her spot. Pacey, not realizing she wasn’t walking with him, was tugged back towards her.   


“Jo?” He looked down at his beautiful wife. “You have to actually move your feet to get to your destination.”   


“I’m aware,” she narrowed her eyes at him.   


“Then-,” he gestured with his hand towards the living room and she sighed. “Say the word, Jo. Say the word and we leave.”   


“I-,” the words fell flat when her eyes lifted and she saw him.   


Standing in the doorway between the dining room and the living room was her dad. Mike Potter seemed as rooted to his spot as his youngest daughter. She blinked and then did a full scan of her dad. He had a full beard that had more gray than brown at this point. His eyes looked tired and his face had thinned out, making his cheekbones look prominent. He looked like the same man she had grown up with but still seemed so different to her. He seemed like a completely different person now, a man that she didn’t know anymore.   


“Hi Joey,” his voice was gravely and she swallowed back a lump. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to stay or run out the front door.   


“Hi dad,” Joey said, her voice soft. She felt Pacey rest a hand on her lower back and it filled her with a comfort that she wasn’t even aware she had been looking for in that moment.   


“You’re so beautiful, sweetheart. You look just like your mom,” Mike said. She could hear the emotion in his tone and blinked back tears that were threatening to appear. She refused to cry in front of him, she refused to breakdown.   


“You look good,” she nodded, and then turned towards Pacey. “You remember Pacey, right?”   


“Pacey Witter,” Mike nodded. “You have certainly grown into quite the man.”   


“It’s good to see you, Mr. Potter,” Pacey stepped forward and extended his hand in greeting. Joey watched as her dad shook his hand.   


“And you two have a daughter, right?” He looked from Pacey, to Joey.   


“We do,” Pacey nodded when he realized that Joey had gone silent. “Hattie. She’s two and a half. She’s with our friend Jack and my brother.”   


“Oh,” he said and his face fell slightly. “I would love to meet her.”   


“She’s quite the character,” Pacey chuckled. He looked at Joey, and saw her just staring at her dad.   


Joey listened as Pacey and her dad talked about Hattie, but her mind was a million miles away. She realized, after a moment of just standing there, why this exact spot filled her with anxiety. She and her dad were standing in the exact spots they had been the day she turned him in, the day she showed him the wire she had been wearing. This was the exact spot where her entire world had been flipped upside down and she suddenly felt the urge to flee from the spot, so that’s exactly what she did.   


“I have to go to the bathroom,” she interjected and then quickly rushed out of the room before either guy could say anything. Pacey looked at his father-in-law, who looked crestfallen, and wasn’t sure what to say.   


“I knew she wouldn’t handle this well, but I didn’t think it would be like this,” Mike said. Pacey was clearly surprised by his comment, but hid the surprise from his face.   


“You know Jo,” he shrugged. “Give her some time.”   


“Is she happy?” Mike asked, and then added. “I mean in general, this current situation aside.”   


“Yes, she really is. She’s doing really well and she’s the best mom in the world,” Pacey said. “Hattie absolutely adores her.”   


“It seems like she’s not the only one,” he mused. Pacey fought a grin and shrugged.   


“I love your daughter more than I ever thought I could love someone,” he said. “She believed in me when it felt like no one else did, and always saw more in me then I did in myself. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for her love and encouragement. She’s an incredible person.”   


“She really is,” Mike nodded. He appreciated every single one of Pacey’s words. It was clear just how in love with Joey he was, and he knew the feeling was mutual. He was filled with regret every day that he wasn’t there for his daughters, but he was so thankful that they had partners like Pacey and Bodie. Men who stepped up to support and love them when he couldn’t.   


“Dinner is ready,” Bessie told the two and they nodded, following her to the table. Bodie put the bowl of potatoes on the table and then sat next to Bessie. Mike took a seat at the head of the table, while Pacey sat in the chair next to Joey. He reached under the table and squeezed her thigh, and she smiled at him when he moved closer to her.   


“You okay?” He whispered in her ear.   


“Yeah,” she nodded and pressed a kiss to his cheek before they separated. The food was quickly dished out and then a silence fell over the table, the sounds of silverware moving against the plates was the only noise.   


“So,” Bessie looked at Joey, who was in the process of take a sip of her water. “Where’s Hattie?”   


“With Jack and Doug,” Joey said. “They just got back from a weekend away, and Jack wanted to spend some time with her. She’s going to stay there tonight.”   


“Are you going to be okay, Pacey?” Bodie teased and the other man rolled his eyes.   


“A guy cries one time and he never lives it down,” Pacey groaned.   


“So you admit you cried?” Joey nudged his arm and he narrowed his eyes.   


“Crap,” he mumbled.   


“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Joey rubbed his arm. “A man that is in touch with his emotions is adorable.”   


“That’s me, adorable,” he rolled his eyes and everyone laughed.   


“Hattie is such a unique name,” Mike interjected. Joey, almost forgetting he was there, tensed for a moment and then nodded.   


“We get that a lot,” she said.   


“Is there a meaning behind her name?” He asked.   


“Yeah,” she nodded and then twirled the ring that was resting on the middle finger of her right hand. She looked at Pacey, and he nodded encouragingly. “It was when we were coming back from Florida, during our summer sailing trip. I told you about that, remember?”   


“I do,” he nodded. He hadn’t been thrilled when she told him she had spent the entire summer alone on a boat with a boy, but he knew that he didn’t have much room to talk.   


“Well on the way back, we stopped in North Carolina for a few days. We took a day trip to Hatteras Island and it was so beautiful,” she felt Pacey grab her hand under the table and knew he was remembering their day there. “I convinced Pacey to climb the lighthouse there.”   


“Trust me when I say it took a lot of convincing,” he interjected. “It contained two of my least favorite things, heights and exercising.”   


“But he did it,” she said, one everyone finished laughing. “And when we were at the top, he gave me this ring. He gave an incredibly romantic speech and I knew in that moment, that he was the one I always wanted to be with. I wanted to spend my entire life with him.”   


“That’s so sweet,” Bessie gushed and Joey blushed, realizing how much she had just shared.   


“So when we were talking about Hattie’s name, we knew we wanted it to mean something. Something that held special meaning to us and our relationship,” Pacey said. “We obviously didn’t want to name her Hatteras, so we shortened it to Hattie. It felt right, it felt like her.”   


“Hattie,” Mike said, almost like he couldn’t believe it.   


“Hattie Lillian Witter,” Joey said. Her dad looked over at her, and their eyes locked. The room suddenly became tense, as if the air had been instantly sucked out of it.   


“Joey-“   


“Don’t apologize,” she shook her head. “You apologized the last time and it ended up meaning nothing.”   


“It’s different this time,” he insisted.   


“How?” Joey asked. “How is it different this time? How can you possibly know that after only being out for a day?”   


“I-“   


“You told me the last time that it was going to be different,” she continued on, not letting him get a word in. She knew if she stopped, she’d never finish what she wanted to say. “You told me that we were going to be a family. You promised that you were done dealing and guess what? You lied. You broke your promise, you broke my trust. How in the world do you expect me to trust you?”   


“I don’t,” he said.   


“What?” Joey furrowed her brows.   


“I don’t expect you to trust me,” he said and then looked at Bessie. “I don’t expect either of you to trust me. I know what I broke and how much I damaged the relationships, so I can’t expect you to just trust me again. That doesn’t mean I can’t try, does it?”   


“No it doesn’t,” Bessie shook her head. Joey remained quiet, and pursed her lips.   


“All I could think about my entire sentence was about how I let the two of you down, again. When you needed a father, I wasn’t there for you and I’m so sorry. I missed watching you both grow up. I missed my grandson and granddaughter being born. I missed you getting married, Joey. I missed graduations and birthdays. I missed everything,” his voice shook and he took a deep breath. Joey felt her eyes well with tears, and one slipped down her cheek. “I won’t ever forgive myself for what I put the two of you through, but I am so proud of you both. You have turned into such incredible women, women both your mother and I are so proud of.”   


“They certainly have,” Bodie agreed and Pacey nodded his head in agreement. Joey and Bessie both struggled to keep the tears at bay, but knew there was no point anymore. “I know I have no right to ask for another chance, but I’m not going anywhere this time. I will be here, when and if the two of you want to talk. I’m determined to fix what I broke,” he said.   


Silence fell over the kitchen, except for the occasional sniffle from Joey or Bessie. Bessie then stood up and started to clear the kitchen table, the dishes clattering all over each other. She brushed away any offer of help and carried the handful of plates into the kitchen. Joey shoved her chair back, and quickly rushed out of the kitchen and out of the house. The door closed behind her with a slam, and her jacket hung on the hook. Pacey and Bodie remained at the table with Mike and he nodded at them.   


“Go,” he gestured in the different directions that his daughters had just rushed off.   


As Bodie headed towards the kitchen, Pacey grabbed his and Joey’s jackets and followed her outside. He was immediately hit with cold air and was starting to worry that his wife was going to get a cold from how much she’s been outside lately. He found her exactly where he expected her, sitting on the edge of the deck and hunched over. He frowned when he saw her wrap her arms around her body, and knew it was for a number of reasons. The cold, to protect herself, because she was crying, her fear. He wasn’t sure which one broke his heart the most.   


Pacey stepped behind his wife, and wrapped the jacket around her shoulders. He then rubbed her arms and then moved to sit next to her. She shrugged the jacket on and zipped it before placing her hands in her lap again. She was running her thumb over the ring that he had given her in high school. Her cheeks were wet with tears and she sniffled every couple of minutes.   


“I remember the first time we ever sat on this dock, just the two of us,” Pacey said. “You were so sad and it was a lot warmer outside.”   


“And I told you to row away but you refused to listen to me, like always.”   


“You were wearing that pink tank top and a skirt. Your hair was short because you had just gotten it cut over the summer,” he said. Joey looked at him in disbelief. “You kept turning your face away from me because out of all the people in the world to see you like that, it just had to be me.”   


“You remember what I said?” Joey widened her eyes. He raised an eyebrow and she chuckled softly. “Right, you remember everything.”   


“Then I told you that it was a new year and it was possible we could become friends,” he brushed a tear off her cheek with his thumb and cupped her cheek.   


“I’d say we did a little more than just become friends,” she said. He smiled and swiped his thumb across her cheek.   


“I’m more than okay with that,” he said. “But you know what, Jo?”   


“What?”   


“It’s a new time, us sitting here. It’s a new year again. Who knows-“   


“Pacey, I swear if you say ‘we may even become friends’, I am going to get up and walk away,” she shot him a pointed look.   


“Well then give me a minute to think of something else to say,” he sighed dramatically. She pursed her lips as she watched him pretend to think of something new to say, and then she started giggling. “Hey! There’s that beautiful smile I love so much.”   


“Tell me it’s going to be okay, Pace. Even if you don’t believe it, tell me it’s going to be okay,” she almost pleaded with him.   


“It’s going to be okay,” Pacey promised. “And I do believe it. I absolutely believe it’s going to be okay.”   


“Yeah?” She whispered.   


“Yeah,” he nodded.   


“Pace?”   


“Hmm?”   


“I-,” her eyes welled with fresh tears. She lifted her hand and tugged on her earlobe, a tear slipping down her face.   


“Come here, Potter,” Pacey wrapped his arm around her and Joey buried her face in his chest. She was too emotional to correct him, but for some reason she didn’t want to in that moment. It was the memories from the last time he said it that comforted her. He held her close while she cried and promised his love to her forever. Joey knew in time, it would be okay. She knew it would be, because she had Pacey.   


  


  


“I’m pretty sure when they gave us these keys, this was not their intention,” Jen whispered. She slowly lowered Amy onto the couch, while Jack lowered Hattie onto the reclining chair in the Witter living room.   


“They said the key was for emergencies,” he pointed out. “Well, this is an emergency.”   


“What is the emergency?” Jen narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips.   


“Joey is sad! Our friend needs us, thus an emergency!”   


“We could’ve come over when they were awake,” Jen said. Once the two were content with the sleeping toddlers, they made their way up the stairs and towards the master bedroom.   


“How do you know they aren’t awake?” Jack retorted, raising an eyebrow at her.   


“Do you hear any noise?” Jen asked. “We lived with them for two years. We always knew when they were awake.”   


“Them and their big feet always making loud noises when they walked,” Jack grumbled and she laughed.   


“I don’t think I ever heard them being loud when they walked,” she said.   


“Well you could give Pacey a run for heaviest sleeper in that apartment,” he nudged her arm and she rolled her eyes at him. They stopped outside the bedroom and shared a look. He looked at the door skeptically and then his best friend. “What if they are, you know?”   


“Well it wouldn’t be the first time you walked in on them in a compromising position,” she smirked.   


“Everyone was mostly dressed!” Jack insisted and then groaned. “I knew I should’ve gone for coffee instead of coming home when my class got cancelled.”   


“It’s okay,” she patted his arm. Jen pressed her ear against the door, and it was silent on the other side. “It’s quiet in there, we are good.”   


“Why do they even have the door closed?” Jack raised an eyebrow. “No one else is here.”   


“Habit?” Jen shrugged and then quietly pushed the door open. The two stepped into the room and stopped at the foot of the bed. Joey and Pacey were both on their sides, facing each other, sound asleep. His arm was resting on her waist and she was curled up close to him.   


“Pacey has no shirt on,” Jack whispered and pointed at their friend.   


“I can see that. He’s never slept with a shirt,” she rolled her eyes and then pointed at Joey. “But Joey does, so we are good.”   


“So, how should we wake them up?” Jack quietly asked. “Throw pillows at them? Yell wake up at the top of our lungs?”   


“We could jump on them,” Jen suggested and he narrowed his eyes. “Come on! Let’s jump on them! Remember when we did that in college?”   


“Yeah,” he nodded and then winced. “Pacey punched me in the stomach.”   


“We’ll make sure their arms are secure to their bodies and they can’t punch us,” she said. She switched sides with him and stood in front of Pacey. “I’ll take him.”   


“Wait, what?”   


“Do you want to jump on Pacey?” Jen raised an eyebrow at him.   


“No,” he said and then looked at Joey’s sleeping body. “I don’t want to crush Joey.”   


“So roll onto her instead of jumping full force,” she suggested.   


“Okay,” he nodded.   


“On three,” Jen said. The two walked to the sides of the bed, and looked at each other. Jen held up one finger and giggled quietly. Jack held up two fingers, and smirked. Then when they both held up three, they nodded and jumped on their friends.   


“What the-?” Pacey startled awake at the impact of Jen’s tiny body landing on him.   


“What is happening?” Joey’s eyes flew open when Jack rolled on top of her.   


“Surprise!” Jen exclaimed.   


“Good morning!” Jack ruffled Joey’s hair and smiled. He looked at Jen, and the two high-fived.   


“What the hell are you two doing here?” Pacey mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “And how did you even get in?”   


“We have keys, duh!” Jen poked his shoulder and he glared at her.   


“I knew giving them keys was a mistake,” he grumbled.   


“Well aren’t you just a peach in the morning,” Jen pinched his cheek and he swatted her hand away.   


“I’m usually much better when I’m not being jumped on by my insane friends.”   


“Is there a reason for this particular wakeup call?” Joey asked.   


“We need the two of you to wake up because we have busy days planned for the both of you,” Jen explained. She looked at Joey and smiled. “You’re coming with me, and I have a surprise visitor for you.”   


“I don’t think I can handle any more surprise visitors,” she mumbled. Pacey brushed his fingers across hers and smiled at her.   


“This one is a good surprise,” Jen promised.   


“And that means we are on toddler duty!” Jack said to Pacey.   


“So chop, chop!” Jen slapped Pacey’s shoulder and he flicked her hand.   


“We’d be able to get up and moving if the two of you got off of us,” Joey said. She looked up at Jack, and he smiled at her. She flipped her body abruptly, and he flew off her body from the sudden movement and landed on the floor.   


“Hey!” Jack moaned. “This floor is not comfortable.”   


“Don’t you dare, Witter.” Jen glared at him. He smirked and she scrambled off him before he could toss her off his body.   


“Goodbye you two,” Pacey waved them off towards the door.   


“Be quick!” Jen stood up. “Also, your baby is downstairs.”   


“Hattie’s here?” Joey’s eyes widened in excitement.   


“She sure is,” Jen nodded. “She’s asleep but she’s here. I know for a fact she will be happy to see her mommy and daddy.”   


“Well get out,” Pacey waved them out. He was eager to see his daughter and was motivated to wake up now.   


“I knew that would get them out of bed,” Jen smirked and Jack laughed.   


“We should’ve just had her jump on them,” he said. “This way my ass wouldn’t be bruised right now.”   


  


  


“Are you really not going to tell me where we’re going?” Joey complained.   


“I’m really not going to tell you,” Jen smirked and then laughed when the brunette glared at her.   


After a quick breakfast, snuggles from Hattie, and a kiss from Pacey, Joey was ushered out the front door by her determined friend. She vaguely noticed a bottle of wine and a blanket in the backseat of Jen’s car, but was denied any answers to her questions. All Jen would tell her was to relax and be patient. Joey retorted by saying those were two adjectives that she was never good at embracing, and her friend only smirked in return.   


“Am I going to hate this surprise?”   


“You ask a lot of questions,” Jen shook her head in amusement. “Has anyone ever told you that?”   


“Pacey tells me that at least twice a day,” she shrugged. “But usually I get the answers I want from him.”   


“You’ve had Pacey wrapped around your finger for as long as I’ve known the two of you. That does not surprise me,” she teased.   


“Maybe so,” Joey shrugged and then narrowed her eyes when the car stopped. “Where the heck are we?”   


“You don’t recognize this place?”   


“Uh, no,” she shook her head. Her confusion only grew when she saw Jen turn off the car and then get out. “Jen! Why are we stopping here?”   


“You’ll see,” Jen insisted.   


Joey slowly got out of the car and closed the door behind her. She watched as Jen grabbed the bottle of wine, three blankets, and her purse. She closed the door and met Joey at the front of the car. Jen laughed at the confused look on her face and looped her free arm through Joey’s. They walked side by side and Joey tried to figure out where she was. The space felt familiar but she couldn’t place it. The house they were walking towards was huge and there was a dock, with a creek surrounding it. They walked down the creek and before Joey could complain about trespassing, her jaw dropped at the person waiting for them at the end of the dock.   


“Hi!” Andie bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet and rushed towards her two friends. Jen smiled and once Joey regained herself, she smiled wide. Andie threw her arms around the two of them in excitement and hugged them close. “I’m so happy to see you both!”   


“What are you doing here?” Joey pulled back to look at her, the smile still clearly present on her face. “Not that I’m not happy to see you!”   


“Jack filled me in on everything that was going on,” Andie said and then squeezed her arm. “How are you?”   


“I’m okay,” Joey shrugged. “Dealing with it one day at a time.”   


“That’s all you can do,” Andie nodded.   


“So after Jack told Andie, she called me to see what we could do for you. Then we realized that last year when we were supposed to meet up for our five year recap, we didn’t get to. I was dealing with CJ drama, Andie was swarmed with school, and you were dealing with the opening of Pacey’s restaurant. So, we decided that now was the time to do it!” Jen held up the bottle of wine and gestured towards the bench. Andie had brought snacks and extra blankets to keep them warm.   


“It’s not the exact date but it felt like the perfect time for the three of us to be together,” Andie said.   


“I love it,” Joey nodded. She felt a rush of gratitude for the two of them, and for their friendship.   


The three of them moved towards the end of the dock. Andie set blankets up on the ground for them to sit on, while Jen handed each of them one to wrap around their bodies. Cheese, crackers, and fruit were placed on the blanket and wine was poured into plastic cups for them. They all settled down on the blankets and each of them grabbed a cup full of red wine. Andie lifted her cup in the air and the other two followed suit.   


“To six years later,” she said.   


“To six years later,” Joey and Jen repeated. They clinked their cups together and then took a sip of their drinks.   


“So, who wants to go first?” Jen asked.   


“I will!” Andie held up her hand and then smiled brightly. “I actually have something pretty incredible to tell the both of you.”   


“What’s that?” Joey asked. They watched as Andie slipped the glove off her hand and then held out her left hand for the two of them, showing them the diamond ring.   


“Andie!” Jen gasped and grabbed her hand. Joey leaned in close and inspected the ring.   


“When did this happen?” Joey widened her eyes in excitement.   


“About a week or so after Thanksgiving,” Andie said. “I wasn’t going to say anything until we were all together for Christmas, but I couldn’t wait!”   


“How did Will do it?”   


“He took me out to dinner at my favorite restaurant. I could tell how nervous he was the entire night but he kept insisting that he was fine. After dinner we went for a walk by the water and I saw him fumbling with something in his pocket. I grabbed his arm to ask if he was okay and he dropped the ring,” Andie said and then giggled at the memory. “He started to crawl around and I thought he had lost his mind. I figured it was only a nickel or something and told him to leave it. He insisted that he couldn’t just leave it, that it was a collectable item, so I got down and helped him look for it and found it almost instantly.”   


“It was the ring, wasn’t it?” Jen asked.   


“It was!” Andie nodded, brushing her thumb across the diamond ring on her finger. “I found the ring and froze. He looked over and saw that I was holding it and made some joke about how his master plan was ruined. Then he proposed and I swear, it was the most perfect proposal in the world.”   


“That is so sweet,” Joey rested a hand on her heart and her eyes softened. “I’m so happy for you!”   


“Congratulations, Andie!” Jen said. She and Joey leaned in to hug Andie, and squeezed her tight.   


“It’s going to be a long engagement but I’m so happy. Will makes me so happy,” she smiled and then slid her glove back on her hand. “Jen, you’re up!”   


“I don’t know,” she shrugged and blushed, taking a sip of her wine.   


“You don’t know?” Joey asked, nudging her arm. “Tell us what’s going on with Matt!”   


“Oh yeah!” Andie clapped her hands. “What’s the latest? Did you two make it official?”   


“You are officially looking at one half of a new relationship,” she smiled. “He took me out for drinks last night, and he asked me to be his girlfriend. He said there was nothing in the world he wanted more than for me to be his girlfriend.”   


“Yay!” Andie gushed and was practically bouncing in her seat. “When do we get to meet him?”   


“Soon,” she promised. “I want you all to meet him.”   


“I’m so happy for you,” Joey grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “You look so happy.”   


“I am so happy,” she nodded. “Matt makes me happy. He’s so different from any other guy I’ve dated. I, just, I really like him.”   


“She’s got that new relationship glow,” Joey swatted Andie, and the newly engaged friend nodded with a giggle.   


“She certainly does.”   


“And now it’s Joey’s turn,” Jen blushed and turned the attention off of her. “Your dad aside, what’s going on? Have you and Pacey hit that seven year itch yet?”   


“No,” she laughed. “I still love him as much today as I did the last time we stood on this dock.”   


“Well, you have to spill something!” Andie insisted.   


“Okay,” Joey bit her bottom lip and nodded. She knew Jen and Andie would be excited, and it would be nice to have her two best girlfriends to discuss it with. “The two of us have actually decided to start trying for another.”   


“What?” Jen widened her eyes. “You did? When?”   


“Honestly? The night before Bessie called to tell me about my dad being released,” Joey said.   


“Talk about timing,” Andie shook her head, but smiled. “But that’s so exciting! Hattie is so adorable, and she would be the best big sister.”   


“Are you worried about all the stress and how it might affect you?” Jen asked.   


“No,” she shook her head. “We had no problems conceiving Hattie, and I was dealing with all the end of college stress at that time.”   


“So let’s recap here,” Andie said. “Jen is in a new, healthy, and happy relationship.”   


“Cheers,” Jen tipped her cup towards her friend.   


“Joey is trying to have another baby,” she said.   


“Cheers,” Joey lifted her cup.   


“And I’m getting married,” Andie said. She looked at the two of them and smiled. “I’d say the three of us are doing pretty great for ourselves.”   


“And we still have each other,” Jen said. Joey smiled and Andie nodded excitedly.   


“I love you both,” Joey said.   


“Aww we have mushy Joey,” Jen leaned into her side and giggled.   


“And she’s not even drunk!” Andie teased.   


“I take that back,” she dramatically rolled her eyes. “I loathe you both.”   


“No take backs!” Jen tossed a grape at her and she gasped, tossing the grape back at her.   


“Ladies!” Andie held up her hands to stop them. “We left the children at home so that food being thrown wouldn’t happen.”   


“I can only imagine how Jack and Pace are handling two toddlers right now,” Jen smirked and Joey giggled. She could only imagine.   


  


  


“Hattie! No running!” Pacey called after his daughter. Hattie, clearly ignoring her dad, ran up the stairs as fast as her little legs would let her. She was chasing after Amy and not caring at all about what her dad wanted her to do.   


“Amy!” Hattie rushed towards her parents’ bedroom and found her best friend inside their room.   


“Hat!” Amy grabbed her hand and they ran into the bathroom, heading straight for Joey’s make up bag. The bag spilled off the counter and all its contents fell on the ground. Hattie reached for the lipstick and Amy grabbed the eyeshadow. “Pwetty.”   


“Me!” Hattie opened the lipstick and smeared it all over her mouth. Amy laughed, and then wiped eyeshadow on her fingers and smeared it across her eyes and underneath them.   


“Amy?” Jack rushed up the stairs and into the bedroom. “Hattie? Where are you two?”   


“Bathroom,” Pacey said, once he heard their giggles. The two stepped into the bathroom and stopped in their tracks, seeing the make-up smeared all over their faces. “Oh boy.”   


“Pretty!” Hattie smiled wide at her dad.   


“Very pretty,” he nodded, suppressing a laugh. He noticed Jack taking his phone out of his pocket and then he crouched down in front of them.  


“Smile!” Jack said. Amy and Hattie smiled wide at the camera, and Jack snapped a couple pictures of them. “Jen and Joey are going to love this.”   


“I give it a week before those pictures are framed,” Pacey agreed with a smirk.   


“Daddy,” Hattie tugged on his pant leg and he crouched down in front of her. She held up the lipstick and crawled over towards him. “You?”   


“Oh no,” he shook his head. “Daddy doesn’t wear make-up.”   


“Pwease,” she stuck out her bottom lip and batted her eyes at him. Pacey narrowed his eyes and sucked in his bottom lip, trying to remain strong.   


“Don’t give me those eyes, missy,” he said. “They aren’t going to work on me this time.”   


“But daddy,” Hattie widened her eyes and grabbed his cheeks. She pouted her bottom lip out even further and he knew he lost.   


“Fine,” he relented.   


“Sucker,” Jack smirked. Pacey glared at him, and then smirked when he saw Amy crawling towards him.   


“Pwetty,” Amy crawled into Jack’s lap and held up the eyeshadow. Jacks’ eyes immediately widened and he looked over at Pacey, who raised an amused eyebrow at him.   


“Amy,” he shook his head. She flashed those blue eyes that matched her mom’s, the eyes that Jack had never been able to say no to. “Ugh, fine!”   


“Who’s the sucker now?” Pacey smirked.   


“Still you,” Jack retorted, and Pacey laughed.   


“Whatever you say, Jackers.”   


“Daddy,” Hattie narrowed her eyes at him and he closed his mouth. Jack snickered next to him but stopped when he glared at him. Pacey stretched his legs out in front of him and Hattie kneeled on his thighs. She stuck her tongue out in concentration, just like Joey did when she was focused, and he smiled at her concentration.   


“Ow,” Jack groaned. Pacey looked over and saw that Amy had poked him in the eye. She leaned forward and kissed his closed eye.   


“Sowwy,” she said.   


“It’s okay,” Jack kissed her cheek and she smiled. She then swiped a generous portion of eyeshadow across her finger and brushed it over his closed eye.   


Hattie brushed the lipstick across Pacey’s lips and he tried not to wince. As he sat there, letting his daughter use his face as a piece of paper, he shook his head at himself. He had always insisted that he would one day learn how to tell Joey no, and she just smirked. Then he found out they were having a daughter, and he knew he was going to be in extra trouble. If he had trouble telling Joey no, he knew that he stood no chance against a smaller version of her. From the moment Hattie was born, she had him wrapped around her finger. One look, one smile, one pout, and he caved. Telling her no was never something that he had been good at and he was certain that it would only get worse as time went on.   


For the next twenty minutes, Hattie and Amy giggled as they gave the two grown men a complete make over. By the end of it, Pacey and Jack’s faces were covered in eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick. The make-up was all over the floor, their faces, their hands, and the bathroom was a complete mess. But one look at their happy faces, and the two of them knew it was all worth it.   


“We are in agreement that no one ever finds out about this, right?” Jack looked at Pacey. He had to laugh because his friend looked ridiculous. He had blue eyeshadow all over his eyelids and around his eyes. His cheeks were rosy with blush and his lips were bright red. He knew he had no room to talk, because one look in the mirror told him that he looked exactly the same. Except, he had gray eyeshadow.   


“We are in absolute agreement,” Pacey nodded. “If anyone ever finds out, I will know exactly who to blame.”   


“Like I would tell anyone!” Jack insisted. He rubbed his cheek and then shook his head. “Why do women enjoy wearing make-up? I feel like my face is covered in cement.”   


“I have no idea,” he shook his head. “My mouth feels disgusting. I haven’t even had this make-up on for five minutes and I already want to wash it off.”   


“Same.”   


“Daddy pretty,” Hattie brushed her dad’s cheek with her fingers and smiled.   


“Thank you, sweetheart,” Pacey said. He cupped one side of her face with his hand, and then kissed her cheek. A giant lipstick kiss mark was now on her cheek and he smiled. Hattie smiled brightly at him, and his heart almost melted. Pacey would gladly wear whatever make-up she wanted him to, as long as she always looked that happy.   


  


  


Joey walked into the house later that night, and it was unusually quiet. She thought, for sure, that two toddlers would be running around or one of the two adults would be calling out commands. Instead, she was greeted with a sight that made her heart and face both smile. Pacey was stretched out on the couch on his back, with Hattie lying on top of him. The both of them were sound asleep, and there was a hockey game on the television in the background. Joey smiled and walked over towards the two of them. It had been a long time since she found the two of them asleep like this. His arm was wrapped protectively around her waist, and her cheek was resting on his heart.   


She stopped right next to the couch and crouched down in front of them. Joey almost didn’t want to wake them up because they were too precious for words. She ran her fingers through Pacey’s hair and then brushed a finger down his cheek. His eyes slowly started to open and he looked over at her, a smile instantly filling his face.   


“Hey,” he whispered. “Did you just get home?”   


“Yeah,” she nodded. “I’ll take her up to bed and then come back down.”   


“I can carry her,” Pacey insisted.   


“I got it,” Joey said. He gently helped her transition the sleeping toddler into her arms, and then watched as they walked out of the room. Pacey flicked off the television and turned on the lamp for a little light. Less than two minutes later, Joey was walking back into the living room and crawled onto his body. She rested herself flat against him and he wrapped a blanket over the two of them.   


“Where did Jen take you?” Pacey asked, running his fingers in comforting circles around her back.   


“Do you remember the party we went to in high school when we were dating? When I got drunk after I found out I was number four?”   


“Of course,” he laughed. “You wanted to play strip poker with Drue Valentine.”   


“Not my finest moment,” she winced. “Anyway, that night I was out on the docks with Jen and Andie. The three of us made a pact to meet up there in five years to catch up on our lives. We missed out on it last year, so we did it today.”   


“That’s sweet,” he said. Pacey tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled at her. “How’s Andie?”   


“Engaged!” Joey exclaimed and then widened her eyes. “Oh, don’t let her know you know! I think she wants to surprise you.”   


“You people suck at keeping this secret,” he smirked. “First Jack, now you.”   


“You knew?” Joey gasped. “And you didn’t tell me?”   


“Well this is awkward,” he winced and then smiled sheepishly. “Jack wanted Andie to tell you and Jen. He felt awful that he told me, and didn’t want everyone else to know because of his big mouth.”   


“Fine,” she said. “You get a pass for not telling me a secret this time. You won’t be so lucky next time, mister.”   


“Fair enough,” he smirked and then pulled her further up his body. She traced circles around his earlobe and tugged on it gently. “How are you feeling otherwise?”   


“You mean about my dad?”   


“Yeah.”   


“It was definitely nice to get my mind off it for a few hours,” she said. “I keep thinking about what he said. About how it’s going to be different this time and that he’s going to work to earn our trust.”   


“Do you believe him?”   


“I believe that he believes it,” Joey said. “I honestly believe that he wants to be a part of my life and to have me trust him again.”   


“Do you think you could ever trust him?” Pacey asked, his thumb tracing a circle around her tailbone.   


“I don’t think I can trust him until I forgive him,” she admitted. “Is it ridiculous that all these years later, and I still haven’t forgiven him?”   


“Not at all,” he shook his head. “He really flipped your world upside down and broke his promise. Jo, it’s okay that you haven’t forgiven him. It’s okay to feel angry at him. It’s okay to feel upset with him. There isn’t some rulebook that you have to follow on how you feel about all of this.”   


“I just don’t want to deal with it tonight,” she sighed and rested her chin on his chest, looking into his eyes. “I don’t want to think about it, or him, or anything else. All I want is to be with you and think about you.”   


“Well I will never say no to that,” he smiled and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Joey responded by pressing her lips even more firmly against his and burying her fingers in his hair. She pulled back and smiled at him, and then furrowed her brows. Joey ran her thumb across his brow.   


“Pace?”   


“Hmm?”   


“Are you wearing make-up?”   


“I have no idea what you’re talking about, sweetheart,” Pacey kissed her again before she could ask any more questions. She giggled when he flipped them over and hovered over her. This was exactly where she belonged, and where she wanted to be. Nothing outside could hurt her, because she had Pacey. She had her good mood pill to make everything better for her.   



End file.
